Malt Time has gone close this preparation to major success and she will head south later this week in a bid to tick that box.
The under-rated mare will run in Saturday’s Gr.1 TAB Classic (1600m), formerly the Captain Cook Stakes, at Trentham and trainers Shaun and Emma Clotworthy are more than happy with their daughter of Adelaide.
Although a seven-year-old, Malt Time has been patiently handled with four wins, including the Listed Legacy Lodge Sprint (1200m) and 11 minor placings from 23 appearances.
“She’s always shown plenty of ability, but her racing manners have let her down a bit at times,” Shaun Clotworthy said.
“She’s matured now and doing everything okay so we will push on while she’s going so well.”
Malt Time has made two appearances in the Central Districts this campaign and finished on well to run sixth in the Gr.1 Tarzino Trophy (1400m) before she overcame an interrupted passage to beat all but Mustang Valley in the Gr.1 Arrowfield Stud Plate (1600m).
She was then given a brief let-up and was unplaced at Pukekohe before returning there last time out to rush home for third in the Gr.2 Auckland Thoroughbred Breeders’ Stakes (1400m), after also filling an identical place in 2022.
“She’s going well and had a good preparation without winning a race,” Clotworthy said.
“We will probably give her a freshen-up after Saturday and then look at the Westbury Classic (Gr.2, 1400m) at Ellerslie on Karaka Million night.”
Malt Time’s versatility is also a major plus, with victories on Good and Soft ground and placed in Heavy conditions in the Arrowfield, factors that have seen her kept safe on the fourth line of betting at $14 for the Saturday’s weight-for-age feature.
“She also goes both ways and maybe a touch better left-handed and she got through that Hawke’s Bay track well, we weren’t 100 percent sure she would, but she seemed to handle it,” Clotworthy said.
Bred by Nearco Stud, Malt Time has proved a grand money spinner for owners Bill and Carrie Borrie who secured her via the Gavelhouse platform as a broken-in two-year-old for $4,100 and her current earnings have topped $250,000.
She is a daughter of the Gr.2 Travis Stakes (2000m) winner Pimms Time, whose dam is a sister by Zabeel to the dual Group One winner Railings.
Malt Time will be accompanied south by Per Incanto mare and Rating 65 1600m contender Three Ninety.
“Hopefully she gets in, she’s going well enough although she was maybe a shade disappointing last time,” Clotworthy said.
Three Ninety finished a solid third two runs back at Te Aroha before she sixth at Pukekohe.
