Trainer takes it slow with his stable star
Josh Shaw has been patient if nothing else. The young Levin horse trainer had been reluctant to give his stable star Hinepara a “gut buster” on a heavy winter track to kick off her new campaign, even though she was kicking up her heels in the paddock.
Shaw hadn’t been in a great hurry with Hinepara, biding his time waiting for the tracks to improve while keeping one eye on the future with some major summer staying races on the horizon.
Until now.
“She’s really well. We were waiting for the tracks to dry out a wee bit before we went to the races,” he said.
“We’ve always been patient with her, but now we need to get moving.”
Shaw had nominated Hinepara for the Te Rapa meeting on Sunday. He wasn’t expecting much from her first-up run, using the outing and the float trip as a means to progress her fitness.
There were bigger fish to fry this summer.
Shaw said there were several black-type staying races that would suit Hinepara, but ideally he would love to have a crack at the City of Auckland Cup on New Year’s Day, or the Waikato Cup in December.
Both races were at Te Rapa, which gave Sunday’s trip dual purpose because it would give Hinepara her first look at the track, which traditionally didn’t present as “heavy” as some other tracks at this time of year.
Hinepara had returned from a winter spell in great order, giving
Shaw the impetus to chase more black type to add her pedigree page following her outstanding win in the $120,000 Avondale Cup (Gr.2) last season. Hinepara won the Avondale Cup in February on a campaign that kicked off with a first-up run over 1400m at Woodville in late October last year, so she was already more forward this time around.
“She’s coming up nicely. There are no plans set in concrete. There are options,” he said.
“She’s a valuable broodmare proposition now, so you do have to think about her residual worth.”
Hinepara was one of 168 horses to go around at the jump-out trials in Levin last week, as many trainers in the Central Districts ready their horses for spring and summer racing.
Some leading trainers entered big numbers at the jump-outs — Kevin Myers, Lisa Latta and Fraser Auret all bought 13 horses each, while Awapuni trainer Royden Bergeson also had a large contingent with 12.
Shaw gave Hinepara a quiet jumpout in an open 1000m heat at Levin.
“She’s had a couple of little niggles, like a stone bruise, but she’s over all that now so hopefully — touch wood — there are no more hiccups from now on,” he said.