Pierro mare Vidiano has returned to her homeland after several years in Australia and will make her New Zealand debut in the CR Grace LTD Handicap (1600m) at Hastings on Sunday.
Initially in the care of Cambridge trainers Murray Baker and Andrew Forsman, Vidiano placed in both of her trials in New Zealand before her owners decided to send the filly to Peter Moody in Victoria.
Vidiano showed good early promise and even competed at Group Three level. She had eight starts for the Pakenham horseman, including a win and three placings, but the decision was made to bring her home where a smaller, rural environment was selected as her best option.
Ownership mate Scutar was already in the care of Waipukurau trainer Simon Wilson, and the Hawke’s Bay trainer was receptive to the five-year-old mare’s addition to his stable.
“They (owners) just wanted Scutar to be trained in a farm environment and I was lucky enough to get the horses to train,” Wilson said.
“They have both settled into the farm environment well.”
The Hawke’s Bay farmer has been pleased with what he has seen from Vidiano to date but is looking forward to seeing how she performs on raceday this weekend before making any further plans.
“I have had her since July and she is a nice horse but is a bit of an unknown and I will know more about her after the weekend,” Wilson said.
“She works well but needs to bring that to raceday.”
She will be joined in her race by stablemate Rip Wheeler.
“He didn’t get a lot of luck last start. He was blocked for a run. He has been working well and he likes a better track, so hopefully we don’t get too much rain,” Wilson said.
Rounding out Wilson’s trio of runners on Sunday will be Scutar in the AFFCO NZ LTD Waipukurau Cup (1600m) where he will be ridden by Mereana Hudson from barrier one.
“Scutar has drawn well. He had his first-up start at Woodville and ran on nicely. It is a nice race for him, I think a mile is his distance. And being a local meeting is a bonus,” Wilson said.
