Trish Dunell
Cambridge trainer Tony Pike will saddle promising filly Loire in Saturday's Gr.3 Hawke's Bay Breeders’ Gold Trail Stakes (1200m) at Hastings.
The Trelawney Stud bred and co-owned three-year-old is coming off a terrific age-group performance on the first day of the carnival where she finished third in the Listed Sir Colin Meads Trophy (1200m).
Pike was happy with Redoute's Choice filly who Brent and Cherry Taylor race with good friend Kate Plaw, but said she was already looking for more distance.
"We hummed and harred whether we ran her in the Gold Trail. I've always said 1200m was a touch sharp for her and you probably saw that last start that she got a bit lost when they quickened but closed off really well behind Catalyst," he said.
"But she's back in her own sex against the fillies and we've put the blinkers on just for this one run, just to sharpen her up a bit. She worked extremely well last Thursday.
"She'll probably settle back from that wide gate and if they do go hard, she'll be getting home very strongly late."
Pike has Loire aimed at the Gr.1 gavelhouse.com 1000 Guineas (1600m) at Riccarton on November 16 and is likely to use the Gr.3 Partners Life Soliloquy Stakes (1400m) at Ellerslie on October 26 as a lead-up.
Trelawney Stud will be represented by three other runners in Group tests on Saturday. Sultan of Swing steps up to Group One company in the Windsor Park Plate (1600m) at Hastings, while Star of the Seas and Purple Sector will face off in the Gr.3 Bill Ritchie Handicap (1400m) at Randwick. - NZ Racing Desk