MacO'Reilly might be ready

Gifted galloper MacO'Reilly might be back in action next week.

MacO'Reilly has recovered from the virus that cut short his Melbourne campaign and could resume in the Levin Stakes (1200m) at Otaki.

The distance would be well short of best but the race would serve as a pipe-opener for the $200,000 Captain Cook Stakes (1600m) at Trentham the following weekend.

MacO'Reilly has not raced in New Zealand since completing a hat-trick of group wins last autumn.

He headed to Melbourne this spring, with a Cox Plate run in mind, but his campaign was restricted to just two starts.

"He picked up a bit of a virus but he seems over all his problems now," trainer David Haworth said. "His work was enormous yesterday.

"He will be a very interesting runner in the Captain Cook."

The Trentham feature would also help fit MacO'Reilly for the Group I Zabeel Classic (2000m) at Ellerslie on Boxing Day.

Stablemate Willy Smith, who has not raced since being injured in the Auckland Cup, in March, is making good progress in a new preparation and will be aimed at the Wellington Cup.

The horse had a month's work on a walker before being pre-trained. "His leg looks really good and I think there's still a good race in him," Haworth said.

Willy Smith is an eight-year-old but has had only seven starts since winning the 2007 Wellington Cup. He came up well last summer and was placed in his first four starts before being badly checked in both the Wellington and Auckland Cups.

He is also a youngster compared to 10-year-old stablemate Jurys Out who resumes in the open 1400 at Hastings tomorrow.

A foot problem restricted Jurys Out to just four starts last term but he won fresh-up, over 1400m at Trentham last December.

"He's very well and I was quite happy with his work this morning," Haworth said. "He usually goes well fresh and could be a bit of a hope this week."

Jurys Out has a good strike rate, with 13 wins from 53 starts, and was having his first start for six months when he won first-up last summer.

His race debut was more than seven years ago but he still appears to enjoy his work. "He will tell us when he's had enough," Haworth said.

Cambridge galloper Veloz, who has been racing in better company, will be the horse to beat in the Hastings sprint while Antipodean, who has not raced since March, usually goes well when fresh.

- © Fairfax NZ News