By Joshua Smith, Harness News Desk
The connections of in-form trotter Musclyn are starting to reap the rewards for their patience with their four-year-old mare and they are hoping her purple patch of form continues in the Goodwin Contracting Trot (2000m) at Rangiora on Sunday.
The daughter of Muscle Mass won first-up in April before posting two placings and trainers Phillipa Wakelin and Lance Noble believe she has finally started to mature.
“We have always held her in very high regard,” Wakelin said.
“From when we broke her in we thought she would go a long way.
“She is a big girl and just needed to strengthen. Time has been a blessing for her and it has shown this prep after she had a let-up after Christmas.
“She has hit the ground running.”
While she has shown a lot of improvement this preparation, Wakelin believes there is more to come.
“She is a great follower of speed and does no more work than she has to,” she said.
“She is very laid back, almost on the lazy side. She hasn’t learnt to get up and sprint yet, but that will come with a bit more mileage.”
Wakelin is expecting another bold showing from her mare on Sunday.
“She relishes the wet conditions and she is thriving in track work. We do a lot of road work with her,” she said.
“She is primed and ready.”
The stable will also be represented by in the Anne Thompson Memorial Graduation Final (2600m).
The six-year-old mare has taken a bit of time to mature and with two unplaced runs to her name, Wakelin said she will be a passion project for a while yet.
“She has been a late comer,” Wakelin said. “We bred her and she had angry issues as a youngster.
“We didn’t think that we would get to the races with her, but time and perseverance has paid off.
“She is still learning. She will follow them around and if she does everything right and runs home, it is a step in the right direction.”