All Roads Lead To Te Teko

It had been a few years since I'd ventured to these trials - the days of Distinctly Secret I think.

To any budding Marco Polo's I'm pleased to report they ve now signposted the racecourse. Last time I ended up horendously lost - thank you AA.

The weather was fine throughout and the surface which was officially rated dead, did cut out on the inside gradually during the programme so I would ignore the slower times later in the day as they were scouting 4 and 5 horse widths off the rail from the turn by then.

I won't bother you with the obvious - the dailys are paid to do that tomorrow. I saw a few performances and a horse or 2 on type which you may like to paste away in your black book.

As far as the two-year-olds heats went I thought I was at Doremello Stud not Te Teko for a while, for there were Duelled's everywhere. For all I know Roggie may even have had the Clerks of the Course on one. As a type they did not strike me as two-year-olds, a rather unfurnished group, although the filly out of Tittletaat looked a runner.

The General Nediym - Zolius colt from Mark Walkers barn looked the most forward of all the babies out today. A typical well muscled example of his fathers get, it would surprise me if he is winless by Xmas.

Quiet trialists with scope for improvment were a couple from Peter McKays yard: the General Nediym colt from Little Deuce Coupe - a brute of a horse - along with a Commands colt from Apart.

Russianov (Keeninsky-Amy Cee) got home very nicely and out of a Yamanin Vital mare you d fancy him a bit later on and further than 600m! The Oaks crew should be happy enough with that start.

Finally from the babies heats, Savannah Prince was doing handstands and won have won by a gap if he had been let down.

Very little was asked of Prince of Wales, Six O Clock News and Tell a Tale with the later getting home very nicely the last 50m, a feakishly similar effort to his hitout at these corresponding trials last season.

St Germiane, after botching the start, found the line well under minimal urging. She look's to have developed during her break.

Il Quello Veloce who was hard held in second, paraded looking like she had thickened appreciably.

The easiest winner on the programme was La Bella Encosta. He d won another trail recently and I gather the agents have been circling.

The unraced Our Heir Apparent (Zabeel - La Quinta Gold by Encosta De Lago), who holds a VRC Derby nom, didn't really look to be handling the track but was doing some nice work late. A gorgeously balanced medium sized athlete - as befitting a 900k yearling - he looks an early winner once he strikes 1600m.

The John Sargent team who looked strong throughout, produced another nice trialist in Mr Thorpedo. The Thorn Park three-year-old who had run 2 solid races last season got home strongly.

Noel Harris only had a ride or 2 yesterday but his reason for attending became clear when he lead all the way for an easy win on Sandblaster, indicating the 5 year-old entire is well forward for a return to racing.

The terribly named Warrentherooster won nicely enough despite carrying a bit of condition. He had the most physical scope of the Savabeels I saw out at 2 so it will be interesting to see how he progressesd. This heat could have some form come out of it as the unraced One Cool Cat - Glenview Lass gelding who ran second, had won a trial at Rotorua last month and is well regarded by the Moroney stable.

It was getting chilly but I m glad I stayed on to see Penrickson take the 1200m Open Catchweight heat. A 6 year-old now, I had last seen him as a 2 year-old and he has furnished into a lovely lengthy horse. A roll forward horse he is going to pick up a nice race back in NZ this season.

Man I love the spring. Roll on Mudgway day.