Well-related mare Free Bird (NZ) (Tarzino) will be tested over a middle distance for the first time at Ellerslie on Saturday, with her performance dictating her future plans.

A half-sister to Group One winner Stolen Dance, who Greene trained for the majority of her career, Free Bird has shown she has inherited some of her family’s ability, winning two of her 10 starts to date, but she has yet to be tested over further than a mile.

Greene said his mare has always given him the impression that she would be more potent over further ground, and he will give her that opportunity this weekend in the Golf Warehouse 2100.

The daughter of Tarzino heads into the race in good form, having won two starts back over a mile before finishing runner-up over the same distance at Ellerslie last start.

“She is doing really well,” Greene said. “She has kept improving with every run this prep and we are really excited to see her step up to a middle distance for the first time.”

Ellerslie was rated a Soft6 on Friday morning, which Greene said is ideal for his mare.

“She is a horse that really likes those in between tracks,” he said. “She seems to struggle when it’s too firm or too wet, so the Ellerslie track at this time of year is providing that nice surface that seems to suit her.”

While Greene said Free Bird isn’t in the same class as Stolen Dance, he believes she could have an exciting future if she thrives over ground like he thinks she will.

“We are going to find out a lot more after Saturday because she has always really looked like a staying prospect,” he said. “She is not Stolen Dance, but she could go on and be a Cups kind of horse for next season if she can stay a strong middle-distance trip.

“If she can show us she can do that on Saturday she might have an exciting spring campaign ahead.”

Greene heads into the weekend off a frustrating runner-up result at Te Aroha on Thursday where Timetoplaythegame was pipped at the post by a short head in the Great New Zealand Jumping Carnival 18^th and 20^th September 1150.

“He just missed, it was a brave run in testing conditions,” Greene said. “We will just find a similar type of race in a few weeks for him.”

Greene said the Proisir gelding and stablemate Elle McFab will be his stable flagbearers over winter.

“We have got him and Elle McFab as our mudlark horses and they are enjoying the weather this week,” he said. “They will become more prominent in the next month or two when we get these Heavy tracks.”

Meanwhile, Greene said his Group One winner First Five is thriving a month into his preparation, with the Te Rapa horseman setting his sights towards a home track feature early next season.

The Almanzor gelding was a standout this season, winning his last three races, including the Gr.1 BCD Group Sprint (1400m), Gr.1 Telegraph (1200m), and Gr.3 J Swap Sprint (1400m).

“He has been back in work for a month now and he looks great,” Greene said. “You would think it would be impossible for him to get stronger again, but he looks bigger and stronger, and he has a very exciting season ahead for him, I am sure.

“We are aiming towards kicking off in the Foxbridge Plate (Gr.2, 1200m) if the weather plays its part. He is definitely an on top of the ground horse, he doesn’t like it too wet at all.” - Joshua Smith, LOVERACING.NZ News Desk

Top jumpers return to the fray at Trentham

Talented stablemates Nedwin (NZ) (Niagara) and Dictation (NZ) (Tavistock) will return to the jumping scene at Trentham on Saturday where they will contest the Manawatu ITM Manawatu Steeplechase (4000m) and Manawatu ITM Manawatu Hurdles (2500m) respectively.

Nedwin is vying for another feature crown after winning last year’s Pakuranga Hunt Cup (4300m), adding to his four prestige titles over hurdles.

Now solely in the steeplechasing role, his co-trainer Paul Nelson is looking forward to seeing the evergreen gelding back on track, but he is disappointed that it will be his last campaign with an age-enforced retirement coming at the end of this season.

“He’ll probably be needing the run, he should improve off this,” said Nelson, who trains in partnership with Corrina McDougal. “He schooled well at home and he wants to be doing his work.

“He’ll be sticking to steeplechasing this year, unfortunately it will be his last year unless the rule can be changed regarding his age.

“Show jumpers aren’t allowed to jump World Cup Level until they are eight, and we’re talking about 12-year-olds. In England, Europe, this rule is not the case – there is no limit on age for retirement.

“Surely as the trainers, we know our horses and should be able to make that call. We retired The Cossack last year, we felt although he was competitive, he wasn’t at the level he was, so we retired him.

“We haven’t had that choice with Suliman, who won the National (Hurdle) last year and unless the rule is changed, we won’t have a choice with this horse either. I really hope that won’t be the case at the end of the season, he’s in great shape and loving his work.”

The son of Niagara will carry the 69.5kg topweight with Mathew Gillies in the saddle, who also partners Dictation in the Manawatu Hurdles.

One of the most promising hurdlers in the country, Dictation produced a statement win in last year’s Sydenham Hurdles (3100m) but was ruled out of the Grand National with a minor injury.

Nelson said Saturday's race is a key lead in to his defence of next weekend’s Fairview Motors Waikato Hurdle (3200m), but the gelding has class on his side.

“He will probably need the run on Saturday, the dry weather has buggered us up a little bit or we probably would’ve been going a little earlier,” he said.

“But he is still a pretty good horse, so he might be able to get some of it. All going well, he will probably go to Waikato next week.”

Tavistock gelding Empire State also starts in the feature hurdle, having won his maiden at Te Rapa last season.

“He’s a bit of a smaller, leaner type of horse, doesn’t look much like a jumper, but you can’t judge a book by its cover,” Nelson said.

“He seems to be coming up well, he’s bright but we might find a couple better than him in this race.”

Lightly tried eight-year-old Kamaal will make his second hurdling appearance in the Vale Bob Autridge Hurdles (2500m), with a trial in late April to prepare.

“We hope he goes well, he’s probably a different horse this year and trialled nicely,” Nelson said. “He’s only having his second hurdle start and not many starts overall, so he’s still learning a bit about racing.”

A new member of the stable, and Nelson’s successful I See Red Syndicate, is Poetic Justice, who could be seen in the jumping role in future.

Proven over staying trips, he will resume over the shorter distance in the Vision Enhancement Av Specialists (1500m).

“We think he’s probably got a flat run in him, he’s doing everything we’re asking of him at the moment,” Nelson said. “He may be looking for more ground than he gets on Saturday, but that’ll do for a start.

“He couldn’t win a maiden race but he won a Rating 65 over 2400m, so that says he should probably be able to stay pretty well.” - Jess de Lautour, LOVERACING.NZ News Desk

Turner enjoying standout season

Riverton trainer Ebony Turner is having a season to remember, and she is hoping her good run will continue at Phar Lap Raceway on Sunday.

In her fourth season of training, Turner currently sits on 11 wins this term, with Who Rox The House’s victory at Wingatui last weekend furthering her lead in the race towards the Gavelhouse Newcomer to Training Award.

“I am very grateful to all the people who support me and my staff, it has been an excellent season,” she said. “It is pretty nerve-racking coming to the end of it and there is only two wins between us. Hopefully I can stay on top and get that win, but if not, it has still been an awesome season, and I have beaten last season’s personal best.”

Turner was relieved to get the win with Who Rox The House and said stepping back in distance proved to be a masterstroke.

“It was brilliant, she has been so unlucky,” Turner said. “She has got plenty of ability but every time we stepped out at the races something went wrong.  

“That last start over the mile at Riverton just showed that she isn’t handling 1600m on a wet track so we thought we would give her one more shot over 1400m at the nice track at Wingatui and she went out and won.”

Stablemate Penvose Lad was also runner-up at the meeting when first-up over 1400m, and he will be looking to go one better when he heads to Timaru on Sunday to contest the Dunstan Horsefeeds Waimate Cup (1600m).

“We were super chuffed with that (runner-up result), he is such a cool horse and he just brings everything on raceday,” Turner said. “He has a pretty exciting winter going forward.

“I worked him around on Tuesday morning to see how he felt before nominations and he jig jogged in after he pulled my arms out so I thought we would be alright to go.”

Turner said she is on a fact-finding mission with Penvose Lad this weekend, and if he performs well over the mile, she would love to target him towards the Gr.3 Winter Cup (1600m) at Riccarton in August.

“We will see if he will handle the 1600m on the wet track and that will give us an idea of what we can do going forward into winter,” she said. “I really want to get him into the Winter Cup if I can.

“He is pretty tough and he is pretty consistent, so I am quite hopeful.”

Turner will also trek north to Timaru with last-start winner Celestial Flame, who will contest the Waimate Racing Club (1600m).

“She is a tough wee nugget to back up and win like that, she is a cool horse,” Turner said. “We just freshened her up and we will get a line on her this weekend heading into winter.” - Joshua Smith, LOVERACING.NZ News Desk