Tarzino the target for Aide Memoire
TRAINER Fraser Auret cannot find a reason not to give his mare Aide Memoire the opportunity this Saturday in the Group One Tarzino Trophy.
The Marton trainer has confirmed the Captain Cook Stakes winner will run in the feature at Hawke’s Bay this weekend after solid lead-in performances.
The lightly raced six-year-old looks good to go following a second-place finish earlier this month when resuming at Tauherenikau, where conditions and weights were against it.
Auret believes the race gave him a good indication of Aide Memoire’s Tarinzo chances.
“She has always taken that first run to bring her up to speed, but I wanted to see how she came through it and that everything was in place before deciding about a start in the Tarzino,” Auret said.
“She has been working super and she is heading in the right direction. Mark Du Plessis has been booked to ride her.”
The winner of seven of its 17 starts, Aide Memoire will also have underfoot conditions to suit at Hastings.
“There will be residual moisture in the ground so I think we are pretty safe on that score,” Auret said.
“It’s always a long and stressful week before these big races, but she seems to me to be a very happy horse so we’ll be taking our chance.”
Like all his fellow trainers, Auret has found it a balancing act to have his spring contenders at peak fitness.
“It’s just been so wet everywhere and it’s been very tricky getting them ready,” he said.
“You don’t want to get to the bottom of them on heavy tracks, but at the same time you have to get the work into them.”