Synthetic specialist Monza (NZ) (Rios) will be looking for redemption in the Richard Bright Memorial 1550 at Cambridge Synthetic on Wednesday.
The seven-year-old son of Rios was runner-up behind Stonybreck in the $60,000 feature last year and trainer Danica Guy is keen to go one better in this year’s edition.
Monza injured a tendon last December and returned to the races last month, finishing last first-up over 1300m at Cambridge before heading to Awapuni Synthetic last Friday where he was third in the $100,000 Martin Collins Polytrack 1400m Innovation Race.
“He drew wide (9) and was carrying a big weight (60kg), I was rapt with his run,” said Guy, who also co-bred and part-owns the gelding.
Guy has been pleased with the way her charge has come through the race and is looking forward to backing him up on Wednesday over a more suitable distance.
“He has pulled up well so we thought we would have a crack at a race we have some unfinished business in from last year,” she said.
“He has just come back from an injury, so it was a bit of a push to get him to that final down there (at Awapuni). 1400m isn’t probably his best distance, I think the 1550m at Cambridge will definitely be more up his alley.”
Monza has recorded five wins and three placings from nine starts on the synthetic, and Guy said it is great to be contesting $160,000 in prizemoney on the surface in the space of a week.
“It (prizemoney) is great,” she said. “They are certainly good races to target.”
Meanwhile, Guy has been pleased with the return of Mach Schnell (NZ) (Zacinto) ahead of his spring preparation, with the well-travelled eight-year-old finishing third in his 900m trial at Te Rapa last week.
“I had him as a two-year-old and he has found his way back to me, which is really nice,” Guy said.
“He is probably just going to run this season, but he is coming up really well. He had some chips taken out of a knee, which was obviously worrying him last campaign. That all looks to be behind him now.
“He will hopefully kick-off at Ruakaka on the 7th of September in an Open 1400m. We will go left or right from there, depending on how he runs.
“I do have a nomination for Hawke’s Bay, but that might be pie in the sky. We will just see how he runs up at Ruakaka and then make a plan from there.
“There are some nice races coming up around the mile to 1800m mark which will be right up his alley.
“He is bright and happy, and wanting to do it. When they get to that age it is just about keeping them happy and making sure they still want to do it, and he definitely wanted to be there (trials). That was very positive.”
