Scott Base running hot ahead of group one tilt

Otaki trainers Johno Benner and Hollie Wynyard will have a strong hand in Saturday’s Tarzino Trophy (1400m) at Hawke’s Bay, with highclass gallopers Scott Base and Wyndspelle set to resume.

The talented duo had their final hit-out in preparation for Saturday’s feature when working over 1200m in a gallop ahead of the trials at Foxton yesterday, with $6 equal second-favourite Scott Base edging his stablemate.

“He worked over 1200m with Wyndspelle,” Benner said.

“They ran 1:15 and a bit for the 1200m and worked home in 36. He was very good. It was strong work and I’m very happy with him.

“Wyndspelle is looking for a bit further and he is not comfortable in the ground, so Scott Base had it over him a little bit late, but it was good, strong work from the pair of them.

“I was thrilled with the way Scott Base pulled up. He is a lot more forward than I thought. He has really shown strong improvement from that trial last week and that is what we wanted to see.”

Scott Base proved he was up with the best of his year when winning the Karaka Million 3YO Classic (1600m) at Ellerslie in January, defeating group one winners Embellish and Savvy Coup.

The son of Dalghar signed off from his three-year-old campaign with a strong win in the group two Wellington Guineas (1400m), with Benner and Wynyard resisting the temptation to campaign in Australia.

“It is a group one race and they are never easy to win, but we are very happy with our horse and where he sits, and he is a little bit special as we have seen in some of his performances.

“It is a hard race to win, but we are pretty confident we will be getting part of it.”