Hawkes Bay

Another late season gem of a meeting to get too.

Volgus took the 2 year-old race in a workman like fashion. He's certainly developed since I remember him as a yearling. He's already looking for 1600m and could eventually get 2000m plus. Doesn't appeal as a early season Classic type. Gordon Roberts is the one to watch out of this race. Did a few things wrong but a nice type with scope. Monaco Consul looked to me like he needed a softer track.

Dawson Falls is putting together a nice record for talented horseman Paul Belsham. One of the few to make ground from the back all day. Seemed to peak 75 out but lifted again. A strongly made individual who looks like he'll carry weight, he'll win a few more.

I like these intermediate staying races and if our clubs continue to support them with good prizemoney then connections are encouraged to race stayers. At a time when our friends across the ditch are lamenting the decline in their staying races and staying talent (funny they go hand in hand), we need to continue to steal the march. The first two home will be interesting to watch next season. Bakup, from a daughter of that grand stayer Daria's Fun, made it a staying test and scored a tough win against the older horses. He d been held against his own age group in the Manawatu Classic but that could have been an abirition. Booming ground home like a 2 miler. From a Grosvenor mare I feel the best is still to be seen of this big boy. He's my horse to follow. Don't give up on Solid Billing, it supprised me they backed him up so quickly. He was ridden off the speed for a change too. He's one to keep an eye on next year down in the weights in a nice handicap.

La Etolie was the most impressive winner on the card. Boy aren't the sock of Thorn Park having a great trot. A big strong girl, they don't break 1.35 often at the Bay and she did it with a bit in hand. Don Julio, another big Don Eduardo horse just starting to develop, was game and can go on.

Onto the Cup, I worked out my first HB Cup was Secret Seals back in 87. Some of these had been up a while and it showed in the yard with few standouts - Spec Icon and All in Black were the pick. AIB has to take the credit despite the lightweight and easy trip. They simply don't come this far this quick without a lot of talent. She has a turn of foot though and could yet measure up in some of those summer and autumn 2000m WFA races next term. Stand Tall's run was enormous. He's a bit of enigma and at 7 going on 8 you can't get too carried away but he's just the type that could bob into your Kelt trifecta for third. John Wheeler has done a great job with him and I bet he d love to be taking him to Oakbank next Easter but one suspects the owners may have slighty different sights. Vosnee Romanee ran his usual honest race but has turned into a bit of a gunna for mine. To be fair he probably doesn't get 2200 and his best chance of a nice race is 1600 on the fresh side.

There are some good rating 90 gallopers up north at the moment and Vonusti franked this. Never easy to back up within a week and with a trip over the Kaweka's to boot but he won the last very easily. Hakuna Matata was game and the key to him seems to be a firm track but the winner was in a different league.

Didn't see much on intertrack apart from Takeover Targets win which sent a tingle up the spine. I saw him in Sydney last autumn and thought he was on the downward slide. Like the Pumper has shown us in recent months, champions never lie down.

I have seen the R90 race from Tauranga on replay. Follow anything out of this race as it will be a very strong form race into next season. The winner is pretty special and don't be suprised if they go to the well again this season to try and get his rating up for HB in the spring. Our Canavaro and Attackum will be worth watching next season.