Cambridge horseman Tony Pike is keeping a close watch on the Hawke’s Bay forecast for Saturday week for his Gr.1 Arrowfield Stud Plate (1600m) contender Field Of Gold.
“He needs a decent track and he travelled like the winner at Te Rapa last time before he copped a fair bit of kick back,” he said.
“He just dropped the bridle and lost his action for 100m, a few horses were doing that.
“He is going well and we’ll have to see if he heads to Hastings, he won’t go if it’s going to be a heavy track.”
Meanwhile, a Group One summer target has been pencilled in for Field Of Gold’s dual Australian stakes-winning stablemate winner Tutukaka.
The son of Tavistock was successful at Listed level last season in the Geelong Classic (2200m), before he ran sixth in the Gr.1 VRC Derby (2500m), and the Tattersall’s Stakes (1830m) and also finished runner-up in the Karaka Million 3YO Classic (1600m).
“He has been in for about two months now and he looks fantastic,” Pike said. “He will be set to resume in early November and something like the Thorndon Mile (Gr.1, 1600m) will be a nice target for him this prep.
