“It was a glorified trial more or less,” commented trainer Darryn Simpson after Pres The Belle won impressively at Ascot Park today.
It was the mare's first run of the season and her sixth win from just seventeen starts. Prior to today’s race she’d had just one trial at Forbury Park (last week) in which she won easily by ten lengths.
“She won her trial quite nice. Her work's been really good and her heart rate has been super. The way she worked on Thursday I thought she’d be very hard to beat.”
It’s expected that Pres The Belle will be improved from the run and Simpson noted she wasn’t blowing at all afterwards.
“She’d blow harder after a run at home.”
At the end of last season some thought was given to starting Pres The Belle at the Harness Jewels at Cambridge but Simpson says he’s glad he didn’t.
“I just didn’t think it was her. If it was in Christchurch we would have gone but I think it may have taken a bit more (weight) off her.”
And he says The Pres mare has matured during her break after spending six weeks at one of her owners – Dexter Nind’s Mataura Valley property.
“She had a bit of a growth spurt when she was out. She probably should have been racing a month ago but I thought I’d wait on her.”
He says the plan now is to race at the Tuapeka meeting at Forbury at the end of the month.
“Cup time is what we’re looking at after that. I think she’ll be competitive up there. She can do a bit of everything and she’s improved from last year.”
Finding a driver for Cup Week is also on the to do list for Simpson.
“I said to Tim we’ll get through Tuapeka where hopefully he can drive her, and we’ll go from there. I’m sure we’ll find someone up there.”
Pres The Belle is out of the Sundon mare Daisy Belle which won eight races for trainer Stu Campbell who has a share in Pres The Belle.
Meanwhile Ryal Bush trainer Peter Hunter was in sparkling form at the Northern Southland meeting, winning with Unloaded and My Georgie Boy and also getting a second with Bunter’s Dream. His only other runner Rakabeamer ran eleventh.
Brendon McIntyre Hunters brother in-law, shares in the ownership of My Georgie Boy and is in the Gottashearasheep Syndicate which races Unloaded.
Bruce Stewart