Encouraging spring trials at Otaki

Proven gallopers Not Tonite and Elcee's Gold indicated they were well on target for spring campaigns with decisive victories at yesterday's trials at Otaki.

Racing was on the inside grass, which had a heavy10 rating.

In most cases horses kept well off the inside rail, but those that did stay on the inside were not inconvenienced.

Not Tonite is a member of the Foxton stable of David Haworth and Matt Dixon, who was a long-time foreman for Haworth. This season they have started in a training partnership and the strike rate is solid and one which seems certain they will build on.

Not Tonite was ridden by Hayden Tinsley, a regular rider for the stable, and was able to hold off rising star Wall Street over the concluding stages.

Wall Street has been hailed as a horse with a future and he too was a recent winner at Hawke's Bay. Regular rider Buddy Lammas, did not press the button on Wall Street, but both horses rounded off the trial impressively.

Aintree, a lower grade galloper was not far away in third place.

Veteran Happy Harry had to share the honours with Paris Opera mare Don't Kick My Float in another of the open 1000m heats. The latter is a recent acquisition to Kevin Gray's Copper Belt Lodge, having done most of her racing with Stacey Dougan at Opaki.

Probably the true sprinter among the open class horses at Otaki was Elcee's Gold and she did not disappoint, leading much of the way in the smartest time of 1.2.01.

Barinka finished the trial off strongly and Wanganui galloper Dawson Falls did well to measure up so close to his better performed rivals.

The open 1200m heat was won by Conquistador, who relished the ground to outfinish the Haworth-Dixon pair of Tullaroan and Just Smoking.

Former Foxton president John Creaven would have been satisfied with the performance of his unraced Jahafill-The Stranger 5-year-old in a heat for older horses over 1000 metres.

Creaven has bred from The Stranger and had a faultless record with each of her foals being winners. Unfortunately, the mare died a couple of years ago, but not before leaving a gelding by Zerpour, which is an unraced 4-year-old.

On The Murray is another who died recently, but her progeny include Riverland, Cadell, Bev's Choice and Our Lili, but she has left an Al Akbar gelding, who at four is unraced, but won nicely in a similar type of heat.

The gelding is with owner-trainer Garth Andrews at Hawera.

Results from yesterday's trials at Otaki (heavy 10) were:

2YO, 600m: Riviera-Castamano M Tanaka 1, Howbaddouwantit-Calla Meli c 2. Only starters. Nse. Time: 36.5. Trainer: G Vile, Awapuni.

2YO 800m: Tricatchme K Myers 1, Gold Cross 2, Falkirk-Electric Dream f 3. 2L, 6L. Time: 51.06. Trainer: L Latta, Awapuni.

3YO MAIDENS, 800m. Heat 1: Pins-Rothwelle c H Tinsley 1, Riviera-Miss Redwood g 2, Howbaddouwantit-Calla Mel g 3. 3/4L, 7L. Time: 49.8. Trainer: C Hearn, Awapuni. Heat 2: Occidental Tourist-Acoustical c R Hannam 1, Burra Boy 2, Lompret 3. 1L, 1 1/2L. Time: 49.9. Trainer: G Nicholson, Opaki.

MAIDENS 4YO & OVER, 800m: Susie De Bois K Collins 1, His Royal Highness-Dream Mist 4m 2, Belle Tirage 3. 2 1/2L. 2L. Time: 49.9. Trainer: R French, Foxton.

OPEN, 1000m. Heat 1: Not Tonite H Tinsley 1, Wall Street 2, Aintree 3. Nk, 2L. Time: 1.2.74. Trainers: Haworth/Dixon, Foxton. Heat 2: Don't Kick My Float B Holland & Happy Harry R Hannam equal 1, Under And Over 3. Dht, 3 1/4L. Time: 1.3.06. TrainerS: K Gray, Copper Belt Lodge (Don't Kick My Float), A Bull, Hunterville (Happy Harry). Heat 3: Elcee's Gold R Hannam 1, Barinka 2, Dawson Falls 3. Nk, 3/4L. Time: 1.2.01. Trainer: M Loveday, Trentham. Heat 4: Mount Aspiring J Walsh 1, Loose Change 2, Ritzy 3. 3L, nk. Time: 1.3.3. Trainer: S Mitchell, Bulls.

3YO MAIDENS, 1000m. Heat 1: Storm Creek-San Ysabeel c R Hannam 1, One Court Cat 2, Jubilee Gold 3. 3/4L, 5L. Time: 1.3.75. Trainer: K Gray, Copper Belt Lodge. Heat 2: Cool Alibi K Smith 1, Keeper-Seven Veils g 2, Ekstra Dane 3. 5L, 2L. Time: 1.3.77. Trainer: K Gray, Copper Belt Lodge. Heat 3: Scaredee Cat-La Fontenelle f L Allpress 1, Agnopak 2, f Stark South-Sioen 3. Nk, nk. Time 1.4.4. Trainer: K Zimmerman, Otaki.

MAIDENS 4YO & OVER, 1000m. Heat 1: Al Akbar-On The Murray 4g L Allpress 1, Howbaddouwantit-Tease 4m 2, Grosve Quay 3. 1 1/2L, 6L. Time: 1.2.7. Trainer: G Andrews, Hawera. Heat 2: Jahafill-The Stranger 5g J Parkes 1, Chunkmeister 2, Hanami 3. Nk, 1/2L. Time: 1.3.6. Trainer: H & L Mathews, Otaki.

OPEN, 1200m: Conquistador B Lammas 1, Tullaroan 2, Just Smoking 3. 2 1/2L, 5 1/2L. Time: 1.16.94. Trainer: J Lynds, Awapuni.

3YO MAIDENS, 1200m: Ustinov-Oriental Song f L Allpress 1, Exalt 2, Magic Of The Dance 3. 1 1/2L, 4L. Time: 1.19.2. Trainer S Mitchell, Bulls.

4YO MAIDENS & OVER, 1200m: St Kash B Lammas 1, McRae 2, Hemingway 3. 1L, 2 1/4L. Time: 1.16.68. Trainer: S Hamill, Otaki.

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