Foxton trainer Gail Temperton feels she has some unfinished business with the Group 3 Manawatu Breeders’ Stakes (2040m) and she is hoping to rectify that on Saturday at Wanganui.
Temperton placed in last year’s edition of the race with Royal Flower, a mare she bred and races with her partner Stanley Alexander under their Taikorea Thoroughbreds banner, and she is hoping for an improved result this weekend.
The six-year-old daughter of Proisir has been raced sparingly since last autumn, having the one run in spring before returning to the racetrack earlier this month, and Temperton said she has returned a much stronger horse.
“I thought she was due for a decent spell and so she had a couple months off, and I think she is much stronger now, so I am pleased I did that,” she said.
Royal Flower finished last in her first-up assignment over 1200m before returning to form when runner-up over 2100m in rating 75 grade at Hawera, much to the delight of Temperton, who is looking forward to seeing her step back up to stakes level this weekend.
“She had a big spell and she had only had a 1200m flat race, in which she was last, it was a big ask for her and she went well last start,” she said.
The Wanganui track was rated a Soft5 on Tuesday morning, with rain forecast in the lead-up to Saturday. The wet outlook doesn’t concern Temperton, with Royal Flower having recorded two of her six victories on Heavy tracks.
“She wouldn’t be any good in a (Heavy)10, but anything below a 10 at Wanganui she should be fine,” Temperton said.
Royal Flower will be met in Saturday’s contest by in-form mare Our Jumala, who was victorious in the Group 3 Cuddle Stakes (1600m) at Trentham last month.
The six-year-old daughter of Zed also placed in last year’s Manawatu Breeders’ and Temperton is looking forward to round two this weekend.
“I see Our Jumala is in the race again so it will be interesting to see how we all get on,” she said.
Royal Flower tackled the Group 2 Travis Stakes (2000m) last year following her Manawatu Breeders’ placing, but Temperton said she hasn’t committed to any firm plans post this weekend’s run.
“It (last start runner-up performance) came as a surprise to me that she went as good as she did, albeit only in a rating 75, so I haven’t really thought past Saturday,” she said. “We will see how she goes on Saturday and take it from there.”
Temperton will also head to Wanganui with Never Look Back, who is in line for a jumping future following Saturday’s 2040m rating 75 contest.
“Never Look Back is a funny horse. He is pretty honest but isn’t fast enough for the very good tracks and he struggles when it is really heavy,” Temperton said.
“I think he will go okay. When he went bad in January in the Marton Cup (Listed, 2200m) at Trentham, the plan was to go on to the Wellington Cup (Group 3, 3200m) but he came off the track very lame that day and he had bruised the sole of his foot. That interrupted our continuation to the longer distances, which is what I would have preferred.
“We will give him a go on Saturday. He jumps really well, and it is well-known that I love the jumpers, so that is what he will be doing next if he doesn’t go fabulous on Saturday.
“I have been jumping him for two years, so it has always been in my plans to be jumping. It is a good sport that I love.”
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