Classy middle-distance galloper Quality Time (Amaron) will take the final step towards his Group One goal when contesting Wednesday’s Team Wealleans Premier (2000m) at Matamata.
Quality Time joined the stable of Kylie Hoskin earlier this year after a successful career in Australia, earning more than A$300,000 in stakes in the care of Chris Waller. In his four New Zealand starts, the son of Amaron has recorded a win and two second placings, most recently in behind multiple-Group One performer Malt Time at Ruakaka.
Hoskin was delighted with the performance over 1400m, a distance short of his best, and indicated it was always her intention to then jump up to 2000m in preparation for the Gr.1 Livamol Classic (2040m) next Saturday.
“He was really good at Ruakaka, I thought he would be run off his feet in that field being a stayer, but I was really pleased with how he finished it off,” she said.
“Also, to come second behind Malt Time is pretty impressive.
“This was always our plan with him, it is a big step-up in distance but he is a stayer and an older horse that knows his job.
“We just wanted to get that run into him over 2000m, which obviously was meant to be at Hastings, before he tackled the Livamol a fortnight after that.”
New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing announced on Tuesday morning that the Hawke’s Bay meeting, which annually stages the Livamol Classic, had been moved to Te Rapa, significantly closer to Hoskin’s base at Byerley Park.
“The change has worked out quite well for us,” she said.
“He’s raced at Te Rapa in his fresh-up run last season and ran second to Turn The Ace, so he’s been there before and likes the track.”
Looking beyond the feature, Quality Time also holds an early nomination for the Gr.3 Martin Collins New Zealand Cup (3200m), an option Hoskin and his owners, well-known syndicators Go Racing, will consider in the coming weeks.
“It was just sort of a Plan B if the Livamol didn’t come to fruition, something we’ve got in the back of our minds,” she said.
“He hasn’t been beyond that 2100-2200m mark, so it is a question whether he would be able to stay the two miles. We’ll look more closely at that option once we’re through the Livamol.”
Quality Time currently sits as a $21 chance with the TAB Futures market for the Livamol Classic, and an $18 chance for the New Zealand Cup.