Local trainers Michael and Matthew Pitman made a pleasing start to the Grand National Festival of Racing on Saturday with Makabar taking out the Winter Fashions Here 12 August Open Handicap (1200m).

The son of Swiss Ace was given a beautiful run by in-form southern hoop Tina Comignaghi, trailing in behind King Cougar and was too strong in the straight, winning by a long neck over Midnight Runner, with a further neck back to stablemate Benaud in third.

The father-and-son training partnership were duly pleased with the performance of the seasoned eight-year-old gelding.

“He’s one of the older statesman of our team, we always target our horses for the bigger carnivals especially Riccarton and love winning races there so to get a result with one of the older, easier horses to work is a nice result,” Matthew Pitman said.

Makabar is set to back-up this Saturday back in Rating 75 grade, while his trainers will head back to Riccarton on Wednesday with a team of 15 runners at the polytrack meeting.

Pitman highlighted the NZB Ready to Run Trainer’s Series Rating 65 (1200m) race as a key hope for the stable, with five runners nominate,d including in-form Russian Rosette.

The daughter of Russian Revolution has won her last two starts on the synthetic footing convincingly, and regular rider Diego Montes de Oca will look for three wins on the trot aboard the four-year-old on Wednesday.

“She’s been super impressive, she’s been a bit untested in her last couple of runs so if she can run up to that form then she’s got to be the horse to beat, and will probably deservedly start favourite,” Pitman said.

“Diego rides a lot of her trackwork and he’s been rapt with her since and thinks she’s gone forward again.

“He loves the horse, and the best thing about her is she has a big group of owners that haven’t had to pay a lot to get into her but they’re certainly having a lot of fun and hopefully more in the future.”

Joining Russian Rosette is stablemate Justanace, Charbano and He’s Ready, with Sharpie first on the ballot.

Another by Westbury Stud’s Swiss Ace, Justanace produced a tough last-start second on this surface to add to his maiden victory last year, and Pitman said the barrier one draw will be advantageous to the five-year-old’s chances.

“Lee Callaway keeps the ride, he was telling my partner Trish on Saturday that he’s confident he can win on him on Wednesday,” Pitman said.

“Having those two along with Charbano in the race we have a really strong hand, it’s a race we are semi-confident we can come away with the win.”

Pitman also rates the chances of five-year-old Proserve in the Haase Marshall Drainage Rating 84 (2200m) following his run of three wins in his last five starts.

“He’s a nice, progressive staying type that we’ve got a reasonably high opinion of, this race has been one of his main targets for his winter campaign, I do think he can go close to winning,” Pitman said.

Proserve could head toward some loftier targets later in the calendar, including the Gr.3 New Zealand Cup (3200m) and the Gr.3 Wellington Cup (3200m) alongside country cups following his winter campaign.

“When Wiremu Pinn won on him earlier in the year he said ‘you could be back winning a New Zealand Cup with him later in the year’, so if he’s anywhere near correct we’re in for some fun over the spring and summer.”

Monday’s barrier draw was not in the favour of the Pitman’s last-start winner Golden Harvest, with the Ghibellines seven-year-old facing a tough ask from barrier 14 in the Hoteliers Challenge Rating 80 (1400m), while stablemate Zoulander drew 6.

“It’s a special conditions race we targeted for Golden Harvest that we thought was right up his alley especially with the way he won last start,” Pitman said.

“If anything, we would swap our two horses in the race around, Zoulander gets back and wouldn’t make use of the barrier he’s drawn, he’ll be back in the running and rattling home late.

“On Golden Harvest’s work and the way he won the other day he has to be a chance, but out there he’s going to need a bit of luck.”

The Pitman’s will also have Benji’s Boy, Abit Sassy, Garden City, Savvy Boy, Ceddy Smith, Da Vinci Girl and Mr Mojo running, with the latter duo bringing strong form into their respective Racecourse Hotel and Motor Lodge Rating 65 (1600m) and Betavet Maiden (1200m) events.

“She (Da Vinci Girl) brings really nice form into the race, she won a couple on the poly-track last year then was quite impressive when winning last time out,” Pitman said.

“She’s taken a wee bit longer to come up this time, but she seems to be thriving now so if she can bring that sort of performance in this race she’s got to be another nice each-way chance.

“He (Mr Mojo) won a trial just before he went to the races quite nicely, first up he was still a bit green and learning his craft.

“We thought he went really nicely and probably needs to improve a little bit to win a maiden at a carnival like this, but he’s not without a chance.”