Goodbye M’Lady until later in the winter
Illness will delay the return of the wet track stakes performer Hello M’Lady.
A multiple winner and black type placegetter on rain-affected going, she hasn’t raced since she was out of the money on good ground in the group three Cuddle Stakes (1600m) in March.
“She got really sick with a virus after Wellington, she’s done that before when she gets stressed,” partowner and trainer Vicki Prendergast said.
“She had a good spell and she’s been back in for two weeks so she’ll be back racing at the end of the winter and into the spring.”
Runner-up in the group three Bonecrusher Stakes (1400m) and third in the Listed Wanganui Guineas (1340m) last season as a maiden gal- loper, Hello M’Lady has subsequently won three races and finished fourth in the Listed Jakkalberry Classic (1950m).
Meanwhile, her stablemate Battle Royal will be in action at Matamata today in the BNZ Partners Handicap (2000m).
He has won two of his last four starts in the hands of apprentice Jasmine Fawcett, who will again partner the five-year-old.
“Jasmine gets on well with him. He likes to be on the rail and from barrier six he can hopefully get there again,” Prendergast said.
Battle Royal has yet to win on a heavy track, but he is expected to cope with the conditions at Matamata.
“He’s run second on wet tracks a couple of times,” Prendergast said. “He’s doing well for a horse that we thought might just get a maiden win.
“He’s no superstar, he’s been a slow-maturing horse who’s needed time and he’ll probably be better next season.”