Promising four-year-old Martell handled the step up to open grade with aplomb at Arawa Park on Thursday when beating home a handy field.
The son of El Roca jumped well to sit outside leader Caitlyns Wish before getting some cover when apprentice jockey Ace Lawson-Carroll elected to push forward to sit parked with Digger.
Turning for home, Martell was guided three-wide by apprentice Jessica Allen and under his featherweight of 52kg he was able to quickly draw level with leader Caitlyns Wish, with the pair going-head-to-head down the straight before Martell was able to get the better of his rival in the concluding stages, winning by a neck.
It was Martell’s sixth win from 15 starts and trainer Jim Collett was pleased with the way he handled the step-up to open grade.
“He was well placed with the allowance, and he was well ridden,” Collett said. “He is a horse on the up, he has only had limited starts and he tries hard and likes that sort of ground (Heavy 10).
“He has matured this time in. As a three-year-old he was a bit weak, he is stronger now, he has got confidence, and he is running well.”
While tempted to now tackle stakes company with his charge, Collett said he will opt to take a more cautious approach for the remainder of his preparation.
“He is not ready for anything major just yet. You could get carried away and put him in a Foxbridge Plate (Group 2, 1200m), but it is a level too far for him at the moment,” Collett said.
“I may go back to Te Rapa with him for an Open sprint over 1200m before giving him another run at Hawke’s Bay. As soon as the tracks firm up, I will give him a nice, long spell and hopefully he comes back stronger again.”
Looking ahead to the weekend, Collett will line-up just the one runner at Te Rapa on Saturday, with last-start runner-up Tregor set to tackle the New World Taumarunui Mile (1600m).
“Tregor is in good form, he is in similar form to last start,” Collett said. “I am happy with him and given a bit of luck in the race he has got to go close.”
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