Rondinella is set to kick off her spring campaign in the Gr.1 $A1 million New Zealand Bloodstock Memsie Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield on September 1, Cambridge trainer Robert Wellwood has revealed.

 

Placed in the Gr.1 New Zealand Stakes (2000m) at Ellerslie and the Gr.1 Tancred Stakes (2400m) at Randwick before finishing fourth in the Gr.1 Sydney Cup (3200m) during the autumn, Rondinella has returned to training with Wellwood and his training partner Roger James.

 

"She's back and she looks great," Wellwood said.

 

"She'll probably have an exhibition gallop here and a trial at Taupo or Te Teko then we'll take her straight to Melbourne. She'll kick off in the Memsie and then we'll pick a path to the Caulfield Cup (Gr.1, 2400m) or the Cox Plate (Gr.1, 2040m) depending on how her form is going."

 

 

  

New Zealand Bloodstock graduate Mega Heart secured his second win in Hong Kong on Wednesday when victorious in the Hoi Mei Handicap (1200m) at Sha Tin.

 

Trainer Michael Chang was confident with the gelding heading into Wednesday and was pleased with the result.

 

“I expected him to run a good race,” he said. 

 

“At the start of the season he carried big weights and was only beaten two or three lengths and now he’s dropped down the handicap. 

 

“I thought the dirt track would suit him, and, off a fast pace, he was always going to be coming at them in the finish.”

 

Raced in New Zealand as Oh Romeo, the six-year-old son of Foreplay was undefeated in New Zealand, winning both of his races for trainer Nick Wigley before his sale to Hong Kong.