Wanganui test beckons for mare

Allan Sharrock is giving serious thought to backing up his in-form mare Gypsy Fair next Saturday.

The New Plymouth trainer said he rarely raced his horses three weeks in a row, but this daughter of Falkirk could be the exception of the rule.

‘‘I haven’t ruled it out the weight-for-age race at Wanganui and I’ll nominate her and see how the field comes up,’’ said Sharrock, referring to the Listed AG Challenge Stakes.

‘‘I don’t usually do that, but she’s a tough mare.’’

Gypsy Fair produced a dominant front-running performance at Trentham on Saturday to win the IRT North Island Challenge Stakes off the back of a fourth placing in the Gr.3 Rotorua Stakes seven days previously.

She is nearing the end of her career and victory in last season’s Gr.3 Merial Metric Mile at Awapuni boosted the value of Gypsy Fair.

She is out of the stakesperformed Zabeel mare Gypsy Moth, who is a daughter of the Gr.1 Queensland Oaks winner Round The World.

‘‘She’s a well-bred mare and she’s likely to be sold as a broodmare at the end of the season,’’ said Sharrock, who shares in the ownership of Gypsy Fair.

‘‘I’ve already got I Do, Madonna Mia and Twoznotenough and they are also all stakes winners.’’

Gypsy Fair travelled comfortably in front at Trentham under stable apprentice Alfred Chan and the mare held a strong gallop to down Heni and last year’s winner Duffers Creek.

‘‘Allan told me there was no pace and to let her roll and she was happy there,’’ he said. ‘‘She handled it very well.’’

Meanwhile exciting prospect Dolcetto was part of a near perfect day at Trentham for Sylvia Kay, who believes the best is yet to come from her talented four-yearold.

“He’s a very good horse and he’ll be even better in the spring,” said the Levin trainer, who co-bred and part-owns the son of Per Incanto.

Dolcetto showed his talent last preparation when he beat Eleonora, who subsequently won twice at Group Three level and placed in the Gr.1 VRC Oaks, at Hastings. He was also twice runner-up to Francaletta on the last two days of the Hawke’s Bay carnival.

He successfully returned to racing at Awapuni last month and on Saturday he accounted for a competitive Rating 85 line-up in The Hanley Formula Autumn Sprint Championship.

His victory followed the earlier winning lead of his stablemate Dr Watson in the Trentham Gold Cup while Kay’s Sylvester finished runner-up in the Jon Snow ATC Derby Premier.

However, it wasn’t all plain sailing for Dolcetto with rider Sam Collett forced to change ground on straightening when she was denied a run down the outside fence.