Matamata Tuesday Trackwork

Several candidates for Saturday's Manco Easter Handicap got through solid work at Matamata this morning, but very little timing was possible due to heavy fog that blanketed the course.

Amongst those horses was last start winner Pussy O'Reilly (B Grylls), who was partnered by fellow Ellerslie entry Makarska (Coleman) over 1200m on the all-weather track in 1:18.2. The Kelso-trained Pussy O'Reilly, who will be ridden again by Noel Harris on Saturday, has trained on well from her Awapuni stakes win.

Likely race rival Ididit (Sapsworth) had less pace on as she passed the 1200m mark and was timed over the distance in 1:24.2, finishing the work off strongly.

Easter Handicap candidates that could not be timed included In Style and Abidewithme. In Style, who goes into the last Group One race of the season with four straight wins, worked boldly over 1200m on the plough for raceday rider Michael Coleman. Also on the plough, Abidewithme was ridden by her big race jockey Craig Grylls when she and stablemate Precious Time (Myers) were paired in strong work.

Abidewithme has not raced for over a month but was kept up to the mark with a recent trial, while Precious Time is in solid order for the Manawatu Breeders' Stakes at Awapuni on Friday.

Bounding (K Jones) continued her preparation for Sydney when she and Irish Moon (Coleman) covered 1000m on the all-weather track in 1:03.2. The Railway Stakes winner, who is being set for the A$500,000 Royal Sovereign Stakes at Randwick on Saturday week, was due to have a trial at Cambridge on Thursday.

Also on the all-weather track, Kansas (Sapsworth) got through 1200m in 1:18.4, while trainer Stephen Autridge put Ekraarstatic through her paces over ground on the plough as she prepared for Ellerslie. She has turned the corner since stepping up to middle-distance racing, with her maiden win followed by an unlucky fourth in the Manawatu Classic.

Credit - Dennis Ryan - photos Stacey Bridgman