Group Three performer Moeraki (NZ) (El Roca) made a pleasing return to his homeland on Tuesday when winning his 800m trial at Matamata.
The former Hong Kong galloper was initially trained in New Zealand by Danica Guy, for who he placed in two of his three starts as a juvenile, including the Gr.3 Waikato Stud Slipper (1200m).
He was subsequently sold to Hong Kong where he won two races before returning to Guy’s care earlier this year.
The Matamata horsewoman is pleased to have him back in her stable and she is looking forward to returning to the races with the now seven-year-old son of El Roca.
“I was very happy with his trial today,” Guy said.
“We got him back from Hong Kong and he has been a bit of a work in progress, but he seems to be really good.
“He has got a super owner that I sold the horse to, and he loves to send them back here and have them retire back in New Zealand. It is nice that he looks after his horses and cares about them.
“He was a pretty impressive two-year-old on type and he had a lot of natural ability. He was doing things a little upside down as a two-year-old, but he has worked it out at seven-years-old.”
Guy said she will take her time this preparation with the gelding, who will possibly kick-off his preparation next week.
“It will be one race at a time. Hopefully he bounces back in time for a rating 65 at Te Rapa next week, which looks like a nice target to kick him off in,” she said.
“We will just assess him after each run and hopefully he will go back through the grades a little bit here and we will see how far we can go.”
Meanwhile, Guy is looking forward to heading south to Taupo on Wednesday where she has entered two runners, however, Suzuka (NZ) (Satono Aladdin) is unlikely to take his place in The Simon Marcroft Farewell Sprint (1000m).
“He has come up really well, I am just worried about the firm nature of the track tomorrow as they don’t have an irrigation system in at Taupo,” Guy said.
“I took the same horse there last year and he jarred up badly and needed three months in the paddock, so I am not sure he will be taking his place tomorrow.”
The son of Satono Aladdin was runner-up behind exciting four-year-old Adam I Am (NZ) (Almanzor) at Matamata last start and Guy said a maiden victory is looming if he can replicate that performance.
“He blew out a little bit in the last bit. He would have garnered a lot of improvement from the run, but how much I don’t know,” she said.
“I think Adam I Am is smart animal, so it was no disgrace in getting beaten by him. If he puts in a similar performance, he will be definitely be right in it.”
Guy will be keeping a close eye on stablemate Ghazzah (Akeed Mofeed) when he contests the Placemakers Taupo (1800m).
“This will probably be his last run this campaign and then he will go for a spell. He would want to improve a little bit to warrant me getting excited about wanting to bring him back,” she said.
“He has got a bit of strengthening up to do so maybe he is worth another preparation.”
