Last start Gr.3 Thompson Handicap (1600m) winner Town Cryer has another Trentham feature in her sights, taking the next step towards the Gr.1 TAB Mufhasa Classic (1600m) at the Foxton trials on Tuesday.
In the hands of Lisa Allpress, who made a welcome return to the trials following an injury in August, Town Cryer led up the field in her usual fashion and wasn’t pressured to the line, finishing a narrow second to Vanish.
“She did exactly what we thought she’d do, she likes to do her own thing and Lisa said she travelled very keenly to the line,” trainer Roydon Bergerson said.
“It was a tick over as there has been a long time between runs for her, from her last start at Wellington to the Group One in a few weeks’ time. We thought we would take her there for a good gallop on the grass, I’m very happy with her and she’s pulled up super.”
The daughter of Tavistock placed at the top level behind subsequent dual Australian Group Two winner Belclare in March, and she will be back to go one better on the 7th of December.
“She doesn’t take a lot of work once she’s up and racing, but it’s quite a long way when you’re going six weeks into a Group One, and it’s looking to be a top-class field, as you would expect,” Bergerson said.
“We try to keep her fresh, we haven’t got a grass (track) to gallop on at Awapuni at the moment so we’ve got to utilise a grass when we can get one.
“She’ll probably go to Wanganui on Cup Day (November 30) for one more gallop there in between races, and she should be cherry ripe for Wellington.”
Bergerson’s exciting juvenile prospect Too Sweet also had a hit-out at Foxton, putting an extending and sizeable margin on her less-experienced rivals in an 850m heat.
The filly by Satono Aladdin won on debut at Trentham on October 27, and she may earn herself a Group Two opportunity with a forward showing at the TAB Mufhasa Classic meeting.
“She did exactly what we’d expected as well, she’s got race day form and I thought she’d run away from that more, but the time she’s run and the ease in which she’s done so were pretty impressive,” Bergerson said.
“I think she ran nearly a second faster than the open handicappers so that was a good gallop, Lisa said she was just cruising at the line.
“Onwards and upwards for her, we’re hoping to get to Wellington on the 7th of December, and then after that, we’ll have a look at the Eclipse (Gr.2, 1200m) at Ellerslie, if she ran well enough and if she pulls up okay.
“Then, hopefully on to the big dance ($1 million Karaka Millions 2YO, 1200m).”
