Foxton trainer Gail Temperton will have a two-pronged attack in the postponed Foxton New World Foxton Cup (2100m) at Hawera on Tuesday, but each of her representatives have two very different paths ahead of them.
Group Three performer Royal Flower (NZ) (Proisir) is dropping back from stakes grade after placing in the Gr.3 Manawatu Breeders’ Stakes (2050m) at Wanganui last month, and Temperton has been pleased with her this time in, having placed in her last two outings following a five-month break from racing.
“She always does her best and she will do her best again tomorrow,” Temperton said.
“She’s pretty consistent, I would like her to go up a notch, but there is just nothing for her at the moment. She had a big holiday when the tracks were hard because she doesn’t like them rock hard, and she hadn’t had a holiday for a long time.
“It’s unfortunate because by the time she is back in and ready there really isn’t a lot of good racing for her. She wasn’t up to the Travis Stakes (Gr.2, 2000m), but she is somewhere in the middle.”
Temperton has no particular plan in mind for Royal Flower over the winter months, but finding a suitable track may prove to be a Goldilocks-type fable, with it needing to be just right.
“It will purely depend on the weather,” she said. “She is no good when it’s a bog, but she is good up to a Heavy9 on some tracks but not on others, that is about her limit.”
Royal Flower will be ridden on Tuesday by three-kilogram claiming apprentice Liam Kauri and will jump from barrier five.
“Liam won on her in the only ride he has had on her,” Temperton said. “Liam always follows instructions very well.”
Temperton will also be represented in the race by Never Look Back (NZ) (Shocking), who will be ridden by Leah Hemi from barrier two.
The six-year-old gelding was victorious in a high weight at Woodville last week and has a jumping future ahead of him post-Tuesday.
“He won well last week but there is a big difference between a high weight and a Foxton Cup, but he will do his best,” Temperton said.
“He will be jumping on the weekend, so that will be his main aim now.”
Temperton said the Foxton Cup field has benefited with the postponement and transfer of the meeting from Otaki on Sunday to Hawera on Tuesday.
“The field has improved with leaving it open, it got some better horses in it. We will just do our best, we can do no more,” she said.Royal Flower is on the second line of betting in the TAB market for the Foxton Cup at $4.60, behind $2.60 favourite Boomtown Boy (NZ) (Caravaggio), while Never Look Back is rated a $9 winning chance.