Ascot Park trainer Sally McKay couldn’t be happier with her quality sprinter Henry Hubber (NZ) (Rip Van Winkle) ahead of the Listed Property Brokers – Ray Kean Hazlett Stakes (1200m) at Wingatui on Boxing Day.
It will be the five-year-old gelding’s second tilt at stakes level, having placed in the Listed Stewards’ Stakes (1200m) at Riccarton last month.
He was subsequently runner-up over 1400m on his home track earlier this month and McKay said he has continued to progress since that outing.
“I am thrilled with him, he is coming along really well.” McKay said.
“That (Steward’s Stakes placing) was a huge thrill and he has worked on really well. I was happy with his run at Invercargill the other day, he was still finding the line. That was 1400m, which he hasn’t achieved up until now.”
The son of Rip Van Winkle will jump from barrier two with Daniel Bothamley aboard and McKay said she would have liked to have drawn further out to suit his racing pattern.
“The draw is the downer,” she said. “He is a back runner and needs a bit of room. It is nice to draw two, but at some stage he is going to have to work his way out into the open.
“But I couldn’t be happier with him, he has got to be a big hope.”
The Hazlett Stakes has been a great form race for the Gr.1 JR & N Berkett Telegraph (1200m) and McKay is hoping her charge can add his name to the honour roll.
“He is nominated for the Telegraph and is 17th in order of entry at this stage. We will keep that on the agenda and Boxing Day will tell us what we do,” she said.
“I would be quite keen to have a go at it because he handles all types of going and we know Wellington can get on the soft side, which is a plus for us.
“If we don’t do that then we will be looking at the local premier meeting at Wingatui (on February 3). There will be something there for him.”
Meanwhile, McKay will head to Gore on Sunday with a quartet of runners and she believes Almanzor mare Zircon (NZ) is her biggest hope in the White Robe Lodge Maiden 1200.
“Zircon is probably my best chance,” McKay said. “She went well fresh-up at Cromwell and she was only on the way up, so I am hoping she has improved with that. Her work has been very good.”
McKay will also line-up Lucks In (NZ) (Super Easy) in the Forest Lodge And Hokonui Honda Maiden 1335, and Fire ‘N’ Reign (NZ) (Tivaci) and La Opcion (Choisir) in the Advance Agriculture Rating 65 1335.
