Home track hit-out for star performer
Champion sprinter Start Wondering will make an appearance on his home track on Thursday.
“He’ll be having a gallop between races at Wanganui and, all going well, he’ll trial next week at Waverley,” co-trainer Evan Rayner said.
“He’s coming up well and the first race he’ll have will probably be at Hawke’s Bay.”
Rayner, who prepares the seven-year-old with his daughter JJ, was referring to the Group 1 Tarzino Trophy (1400m) at Hastings on September 1.
Start Wondering was crowned the 2017-18 Sprinter of the Year following wins in the Group 1 Railway (1200m) and the Group 1 NRM Sprint (1400m). He successfully defended his latter title at Te Rapa earlier this year when run as the BCD Sprint.
The gelding hasn’t raced since he finished a creditable fifth in the Group 1 New Zealand Stakes (2000m) in March in his first attempt at a middle distance. Meanwhile, the stable will have a number of runners at their local meeting on Thursday.
“We’ve got a few in and I think they’ve all got a show,” Rayner said.
Among them is Regal Winks who will be attempting to win the Spooner, Hood & Redpath Handicap (1360m), a race she is running in following an administrative error.
“We had her in two races and withdrew her from one, we wanted to run in the Pearl Series but she was left in the wrong one by the bureau,” Rayner said.
“By the time we found out and rang them back it was too late and they couldn’t re-draw it.”
Regal Winks was out of the money on the course last time out after an interrupted run. “She didn’t have much luck and we expect her to go well,” Rayner said.