Imported mare Terra Mitica (Ulysses) impressed during her first New Zealand campaign and she firmly indicated there was more improvement to come this time around with an eye-catching trial on Tuesday.
The Irish-bred six-year-old is raced by Cambridge Stud’s Brendan and Jo Lindsay and won an open 1300m heat on the synthetic track at Cambridge in her first steps toward adding black type to her record.
Terra Mitica lobbed along at the back of the small field and rider Warren Kennedy sat quietly in the run home as she coasted home under her own steam.
“There were only two other horses in it, but she trialled really well and has put on a bit of condition and matured,” private trainer Lance Noble said.
“I thought she did a very good job for a two-win horse that came from England and was pretty highly rated and ended up in open company straight away.
“I think she is in the right shape to carry on with it this year.”
The daughter of Ulysees won open distance handicaps at Pukekohe and Matamata and finished fourth in the Gr.3 Queen Elizabeth II Cup (2400m).
“Her main goal will be the Counties Cup (Gr.3, 2100m) so we will be working backwards from that,” Noble said.
Stablemate Habana was given a quiet time to finish fourth under Kennedy in his open 950m heat.
The son of Zoustar was successful in the Gr.3 Rich Hill Mile (1600m) and the Listed Fulton Family Stakes (1500m) last time in and will be tried in a new role.
“He has come back well, he’s a fully mature horse now and he’s up in the ratings now so he will be carrying a fair bit of weight in handicaps,” Noble said.
“We’re quite keen to push him out to see if he can get 2000m and if he can, it would open up a few more options for him.”
Embellish’s stakes performed daughter Luberon also wasn’t put under any pressure by Kennedy to finish second in her 950m heat.
“She had a funny sort of season which started off so promisingly and then we had a few issues with her, so she’ll just work her way through the grades and see where we end up,” Noble said.
He will also have an interesting runner at Taupo on Wednesday with Little Stirrer to make her New Zealand debut in the Taupo Pak ‘N’ Save 3YO Fillies (1100m).
The well-named daughter of Written Tycoon, who is out of Snitzel mare Teaspoon, won one of her three starts last season when prepared for Cambridge Stud at Lindsay Park.
“The Hayes boys (Ben, Will and JD) had her and she won a two-year-old race and we thought she probably wasn’t quite going to measure up to their Group horses,” Noble said.
“It will be a good test for her at Taupo with a couple of smart ones in it, but we’re happy with her.
“We’ll get a good line on her and whether she goes on to the other early three-year-old fillies’ races like the Gold Trail Stakes (Gr.3, 1200m).”
