Astor’s trainer looking for gold at the end of the trail

Another bold showing at Taupo will confirm Astor’s first crack at black type.

The lightly-raced Iffraaj filly broke her maiden in fine style last time out and she will bid for further success in the New Zealand Bloodstock Insurance Pearl Series Race today.

‘‘She’s looking good and we’re really pleased with her,’’ trainer Danica Guy said. ‘‘It was a heavy and testing track at Hawke’s Bay and she didn’t enjoy it, but she got through it to get the job done.

‘‘She’s in a really good space at the moment and there are a couple of other nice fillies in the race so we’ll get a good line on where we’re at. It’s a nice option for her.’’

If Astor runs up to expectations, she will earn herself another trip south to Hastings.

‘‘As long as she runs as well as we expect and she comes through the race without a problem, the Gold Trail Stakes will be her next target.

‘‘She’s a lovely filly and I don’t think she’s a one trick pony – she’ll get over a bit more ground later on.’’

Meanwhile, Guy has her fingers crossed for a scratching to get Galaxy Miss off the ballot for a shot at the Gr.2 Lisa Chittick Foxbridge Plate at Te Rapa on Saturday.

‘‘She’s very well, I can’t fault her condition,’’ she said.

‘‘There’s not a lot else around for her really. She’s not a real wettracker, but she would get away with it at Te Rapa.

‘‘If she doesn’t get a run we don’t have a Plan B at this stage.’’

❚ A former champion South African apprentice is hoping to make an early impact in New Zealand. Brandon Morgenrood has been granted his jockey’s licence and he is keen to get down to business with his first opportunity to show his skills coming at Tauranga on August 23 aboard the Janenne Dalley-trained Grandiscoccymelums.

‘‘I’ve been riding him in trackwork and I think he’s got a big chance of winning,’’ the 39-year-old said.

Trevor Cruz, Dalley, Brendon Hawtin and Lee Somervell are among the trainers to have utilised his services at Cambridge.

A better quality of life lured Morgenrood and his family to New Zealand last year.

‘‘My son Cruz is five now and my wife Amanda and I were looking to the future for him,’’ he said.

‘‘We did a lot of homework and we decided New Zealand looked the best and we’re all loving it.’’

Morgenrood graduated from the South African Jockey Academy to be firstly apprenticed to Dennis Bosch.

‘‘I then moved to Cape Town to Glen Kotzen,’’ he said. ‘‘I ended up winning the apprentices’ championship three out of five years.’’