Vicki Prendergast, like many trainers across the country, has faced challenges due to recent wet weather but welcomes the sunny forecast as she prepares for the final leg of the Hawke’s Bay Spring Carnival at Hastings on Saturday.
Prendergast is bringing her Group One performer, Our Alley Cat, to compete in the Group 3 Spring Sprint (1400m) with hopes of securing her maiden stakes victory.
“We have just been waiting for some good weather, so hopefully the weather gods shine on Hawke’s Bay,” says Prendergast.
“We can’t get too excited until it’s actually sunny on the day, but I am pretty hopeful that we will get a good track.”
Our Alley Cat, a seven-year-old mare, had a promising preparation earlier this year, placing in the Group 2 Westbury Classic (1400m), Group 3 Kings Plate (1200m), and Group 1 New Zealand Thoroughbred Breeders’ Stakes (1600m).
She returned with a victory in a 1100m trial at Taupo in August, beating a star-studded field that included Group One winners Imperatriz and Legarto. However, her first-up performance on a rain-affected track at Ruakaka resulted in a fourth-place finish.
Despite the setbacks caused by the weather, Prendergast remains optimistic about Our Alley Cat’s spring preparation.
“She is really well, but you never know when they get a little bit older,” she noted.
“It has been a shame that we have had a bit of wet weather lately and she has got a little bit fat, but we gave her an exhibition gallop at Matamata the other day, and she has come on nicely from that. Hopefully, that will have tightened her up a little bit.”
Acknowledging that Our Alley Cat is in the twilight of her racing career and not the soundest horse, Prendergast mentions the possibility of retirement to the broodmare paddock.
“If she says she doesn’t want to do it anymore, then she will be off to see a stallion.”
However, Prendergast expresses hope for a good showing and outlines plans for the future, targeting the Group 2 Westbury Classic (1400m) at Ellerslie in January, a race in which Our Alley Cat has been twice the runner-up.
“We will probably do the same thing we did last year and head towards the Westbury at Christmas time,” she revealed.
“She so deserves to win it.”
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