Gifted short course specialist Master Fay (Deep Field) might not be fully wound up if he steps out at Ruakaka on Saturday, but that doesn’t mean he won’t prove a handful for his rivals.
The lightly tried six-year-old has delighted Cambridge trainer Chad Ormsby with his progress since returning from a break and with conditions to suit, he’s likely to kick off in the Alibaba’s Flying Carpets Kerikeri Cup (1100m).
“We’ll be trying to avoid the wet tracks with him at this stage of his campaign, Ruakaka might be the best one but I’m not in any rush either,” Ormsby said.
“If he runs, there’s no doubt he will be in the mix. He’s that way inclined when it comes to race day, he just goes out there and gives it everything and Ace Lawson-Carroll would ride him.”
Master Fay was purchased by Ormsby under his Riverrock Farm banner for $100,000 out of Highden Park’s Karaka draft in 2019 as a pinhooking prospect but didn’t make it back to the auction ring.
He was subsequently sold to clients of Caspar Fownes’ Hong Kong stable after three trial wins and made a successful debut at Sha Tin before he was laid low by soundness issues.
The gelding returned to Ormsby and claimed the Gr.3 Concorde Handicap (1200m) off the back of a Rating 75 win and suffered his only defeat in the autumn when he finished off the pace in the Gr.1 Newmarket (1200m) at Flemington.
“He really did well during his break, he is just a bigger and stronger horse now,” Ormsby said.
“He is still 30 to 35kg heavier than he was when he won on Karaka Million night, whether he has got more weight to strip off I’m not sure as he’s just a bigger horse.
“He’s really well and if he runs on Saturday, it will be a stepping stone but we haven’t got any plans just yet.
“There are options in Australia but not until later in the year and early next year.”
Ormsby does have an eye on the Gr.2 Waikato Stud Foxbridge Plate (1200m) at Te Rapa with Master Fay, but again the weather will have the final call.
“We’ve got to get the ball rolling a bit first and take each run as it comes, obviously the Foxbridge is there but that’s generally run on a heavy track or close to it, which is what we’re trying to avoid so we’ll see how we go,” he said.
Stablemate and promising stayer Outovstock (NZ) (Tavistock) has also returned to the fold.
“He’s been back in work for about three weeks now and is looking fantastic and we’re excited about him for the spring and summer,” Ormsby said.
“Our initial thoughts were that he would be going back to Australia, but there’s also a good amount of cash to race for here so he could race in New Zealand more than we had originally anticipated.”
The son of Tavistock won the Gr.3 Manawatu Classic (2100m) in the autumn before a midfield finish in the Gr.1 South Australian Derby (2500m).
Another exciting young prospect is Street Boss’ daughter Sister Ping (NZ), who broke her maiden earlier this month on the all-weather track at Cambridge where she beat the older horses after rearing at the start and losing five lengths.
“She had a two-week break after her win and at this stage she’ll head toward the Gold Trail Stakes (Gr.3, 1200m),” Ormsby said.
