Group One winner Travelling Light (NZ) (El Roca) will head to Ellerslie later this month to contest the Gr.2 Westbury Classic (1600m) after pleasing her connections with her runner-up effort in her 1000m heat at the Matamata trials on Tuesday.
“I knew she was in good order, I just wasn’t happy with a few of her little traits last time in,” trainer Ben Foote said.
“She has got a lot more spunk about her and has thickened up. Her weight is a hell of a lot better, she has got condition on her.
“Michael (McNab, jockey) said she just pulled into it today, the other horse came up next to her and she just wanted to go. So I am very happy with her.
“She will head to the Westbury Classic.”
Foote was also pleased with Vitesse Bo’s (NZ) (Proisir) third-placing behind Aegon (NZ) (Sacred Falls) in the opening heat of the day.
“I was extremely happy with her trial. She had a good break after her South Island trip and she’s on target I think,” he said.
“We are looking like we will go to Wellington for the Desert Gold (Gr.3, 1600m), she is a staying filly.”
Foote said she will likely have one more hit-out before her trip south.
“She might do an exhibition gallop, I don’t really have any plans for her but I will do something else with her,” he said. “I just wanted to see how she came through today.”
Stablemate Babylon Berlin (All Too Hard) also impressed Foote with her 2-3/4 length win in her 1000m heat.
Foote admitted she hasn’t been the easiest horse to ride, but he was pleased with the way she went on Tuesday.
“She has always been a handful,” he said. “I had a different rider today – Michael McNab. I had a noseband on her and she was much better, she is not a horse that pulls anyway.
“We will probably go back to putting the earmuffs on her, I took them off because I thought they were upsetting her but I think she was worse with them off.
“She will go to the Mr Tiz. She is definitely bigger and stronger now. She is pretty ready to go. I am really happy with her.”
