Matamata trainer Vicki Prendergast was delighted with the return of stable star Our Alley Cat (NZ) (Atlante) at Hawke’s Bay last weekend and is eyeing a series of Group races to add to the residual value of the five-year-old mare.
The daughter of Atlante, who signed off from her previous campaign with a good second in the Gr.2 Westbury Classic (1400m) behind Levante, ran out a ready winner of an Open Handicap over 1300m at Hastings on Saturday.
“I was pretty happy,” Prendergast said.
“After her Group Two second we had a few foot problems and we didn’t know if she was going to return to the horse she used to be.
“We are really happy to see she is happy and well and ready to be the star we know she is.
“We are looking at going back to Hawke’s Bay in a fortnight for the Group Three sprint (Red Badge, 1400m). We are just concerned about the weather at this stage, she can’t cope with any moisture in the track.”
Safely through her Hawke’s Bay assignment on Saturday week, the Gr.2 Dunstan Feeds Auckland Thoroughbred Breeders’ Stakes (1400m) at Pukekohe on November 20 and the Gr.1 Sistema Railway (1200m) on New Year’s Day are the targets this campaign.
“We don’t like to race her too often because she races much better in a fresh state but I think this early in her prep I’ll get away with it. But it will probably be the only time I back her up in a fortnight, they will be spaced from here on in,” Prendergast said.
The hands-on trainer also confirmed that talented filly Electrify (NZ), a daughter of Shocking who caught the eye when finishing third in her sole raceday start at Rotorua last week, had a sale pending that would see her cross the Tasman next week.
“We don’t sell a lot because we only have a small team and she is a bit special to us, we would have liked to have kept her but when the money is there you better take it and go,” Predergast said.
