Boxing Day start the perfect Thorndon Mile prep for Dolcetto
Trainer Sylvia Kay has the Per Incanto five-year-old primed to tackle the Thorndon Mile (1600m) at Trentham on 20 January and believes she has the seven-race winner somewhere near his peak for his Boxing Day run.
Dolcetto made his return to the track at Otaki earlier this month, finishing fourth behind Chambord, after taking a break following an unbeaten sequence of five straight wins over the winter and early spring. Kay was pleased with the gelding’s Otaki performance after he managed to find trouble in the six-horse field.
“He went well at Otaki as we weren’t expecting too much from him seeing how it was his first run for over two months,” she said.
“He had a good run but got into a little bit of trouble on the home turn and lost some momentum but all in all we were pleased with him.
“The track was pretty firm that day and his legs were very cool afterwards so that was a good thing as well.”
Some strong work in the meantime has kept Dolcetto up to the mark with Kay of the mind he is ready to run a good race on Tuesday although she expects he will take further improvement from it.
“He’s a very good doer so it can be hard to keep the condition off him, but I think he’s getting somewhere near peak,” she said.
“He had a good workout during the week and then went to Awapuni on Saturday for a look around which will also bring him on.
It might not have been too tough though as he was singing out for his breakfast this morning so he’s pretty well in himself.”
Visiting ex-pat kiwi Ryan Hurdle takes the ride on Dolcetto on Tuesday with regular pilot Samantha Collett committed to the lucrative Ellerslie meeting.
“We couldn’t get Sam for Tuesday as she had Ellerslie commitments which is understandable,” said Kay.
“It works out well as Ryan is not staying long so he can have the ride and then Sam will be back on after that.
“I guess a new rider does bring in some uncertainty, but he is a fairly straight forward horse and I do expect him to run well.”