Levin trainer Josh Shaw left Foxton a happy man on Tuesday after his Group 1 performer Faraglioni took out her 1200m trial ahead of next Saturday’s Group 2 Westbury Classic (1400m) at Ellerslie.
The six-year-old daughter of El Roca finished runner-up to fellow Central Districts mare Belclare in last year’s edition and Shaw would love to turn the tables on their rival, who also featured at the Foxton trials and finished runner-up in her 1000m heat.
“She trialled up really well,” Shaw said. “The track was a wee bit hard, but she came through it really well.
“She is pretty much following the same formula as last year, trialling 10 days before, and hopefully we go one better this time.
“Belclare was at the trials and it looked like she trialled up nice as well.”
Faraglioni has had mixed fortunes this campaign, finishing runner-up in the Group 1 Tarzino Trophy (1400m) first-up before two unplaced runs in the Group 1 Arrowfield Stud Plate (1600m) and Group 2 Auckland Thoroughbred Breeders’ Stakes (1400m), and returned to form last start when runner-up in the Group 2 Manawatu Challenge Stakes (1400m) at Trentham, much to Shaw’s delight.
“It was good to see her back in form,” he said.
“The start before at Pukekohe, she probably did a bit too well on me after the Arrowfield. She was eight weeks between runs there and it told in the last 50m.
“Seeing her bounce back to what we know she is capable of at Wellington was heartening.”
Shaw is pleased with the condition of his mare ahead of next week’s test and believes she is heading into this year’s edition of the Westbury Classic a more well-rounded horse.
“Physically, I think she is a bit more ahead of where she was last year,” he said.
“As she has gotten older, she has gotten bigger and stronger.
“I think we have got her in a sweet spot at the moment.”
Faraglioni has had just the one run at Ellerslie and Shaw is hoping the StrathAyr surface is to her liking once more.
“I think it is a great surface,” he said.
“There is natural cushion in there, so they should just bounce off it. She seemed to like it last year, so hopefully it hasn’t changed too much in 12 months.”
Following next Saturday’s run, Shaw is contemplating a return to Ellerslie for Champions Day on March 8 where there is a $600,000 carrot dangling in the form of the Group 1 NZ Thoroughbred Breeders’ Stakes (1600m).
“You don’t get $600,000 Group 1 fillies and mares races every day,” Shaw said.
“I might have to look at stretching her out to that mile with a trial somewhere in between and try and ride her cold.”
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