Te Akau triallers please ahead of spring preparations
Trainers Mark Walker and Sam Bergerson are excited for what spring has instore for their premiership-winning team, with several of their stars stepping out at the Te Rapa trials on Tuesday.
One of those stars is Group One winner Move To Strike, who finished runner-up by a head to Alabama Lass in their 900m heat, showing he has lost none of the brilliance he showed as a juvenile when winning the Gr.1 Manawatu Sires’ Produce Stakes (1400m) at Trentham in April.
“He’s a lovely colt that we always thought was going to be better as a three-year-old, and he is developing into a lovely horse,” Bergerson said. “He looks magnificent and is coming up well.
“Opie (Bosson, jockey) was really taken with his trial, and we plan to trial him again on 21 August at Taupo, ahead of resuming in the El Roca – Sir Colin Meads Trophy (Listed, 1200m) on the 7th of September at Hastings.”
Stablemate Captured By Love was third behind Move To Strike in the Manawatu Sires’ Produce to cap a pleasing two-year-old term, which included victories in the Gr.2 Wakefield Challenge Stakes (1100m), Gr.3 Taranaki 2YO Classic (1200m), Gr.2 Matamata Breeders’ Stakes (1200m), and placing in the Gr.1 Sistema Stakes (1200m).
She also made her first public appearance of the season at Te Rapa on Tuesday where she wasn’t asked too much in her 900m heat, which was taken out by Group One winner Velocious.
“She had a really good blow and Opie said she’ll certainly improve for the trial,” Bergerson said.
“She’ll go to Taupo for the Group and Listed trial over 1100m on August 21 and then onto the Gold Trail Stakes (Gr.3, 1200m) at Hastings.”
Bergerson was also rapt with the trial performance of Group One winner Romancing The Moon, who was runner-up to multiple Group One winner Legarto in their 900m heat.
“She seems to be coming up well and is still loving her racing,” Bergerson said. “She’s a tough, gritty mare and has always been very competitive in her style of racing.
“It was certainly no disgrace being run down by Legarto, who trialled super, but Wiremu (Pinn, jockey) was really happy with Romancing The Moon, and she’ll probably now go to the midweek trial before the races at Taupo.”
