Miss Twinkle set to shine at Riccarton

Miss Twinkle (Zoustar) shined when winning her maiden at Riccarton last month and trainer Andrew Carston is hoping for a repeat performance when he returns to his local track on Wednesday with his filly.

The daughter of Zoustar showed a lot of early promise when finishing runner-up to subsequent Group Three performer Out Of The Blue on debut at Riccarton in October, and disappointed in her subsequent two starts before winning fresh-up over 800m last month.

Carston was pleased with that performance and believes she has progressed well heading into Wednesday’s Riccarton Park Tanks Gold Members Two-Year-Old (1000m).

“It was really good to get her maiden win, she has always shown plenty,” Carston said. “She hasn’t helped herself, she has taken a little while to work it out, but she was impressive last start and has trained on well.

“She has drawn well (3) in a pretty similar field (to last start). There are a couple that went well last time as well, but we are pretty happy, she has come on.”

Carston has a two-pronged attack in the NZB Mega Maiden Series (2000m) courtesy of Taimate Staar and Baggio, and he is particularly upbeat about the chances of the former.

“Taimate Staar was really good in rating 60 grade last week. She drops back into a maiden so she should be very competitive,” Carston said.

“Baggio is a long-time maiden but he has been going well and his last three starts have been good. He is Mega Maiden Series eligible, so that is the reason he runs. He has drawn a bad gate (12) and will need a bit of luck.”

Carston will line-up a quartet of other runners at the meeting, and he believes last-start runner-up Call To Arms is a good chance of going one better in the Ford Contracting Maiden (1400m).

“Call To Arms is a nice horse and is still a little bit wayward but is learning all the time,” he said. “I think he will go close, he should run really well.”

Meanwhile, Carston has been pleased with the way Say Satono has come through her placing in the Listed Hazlett Stakes (1400m) earlier this month and is contemplating lining her up at Ashburton on Friday.

“Say Satono has come through it really well,” he said. “It was a great result for everyone to get some black-type.

“There are a couple of options coming up at Riccarton in the next two or three months for her. I have nominated her for Ashburton on Friday, but I’ll just keep an eye on the weather.”

Carston has recently welcomed back promising juvenile I Am Belle and Group Three-performed three-year-old Miss Ziggy into his Riccarton barn following their northern campaigns.

I Am Belle was impressive when winning on debut at Riccarton last November before beating just one runner home in the Gr.2 Wakefield Challenge Stakes (1100m) at Trentham a month later.

“I Am Belle is back in Christchurch and is ticking along nicely,” Carston said.

“At this stage we will aim her for the two Listed races at Riccarton in April (Listed Riccarton Park Function Centre Welcome Stakes,1000m) and May (Listed Berkley Stud Champagne Stakes, 1200m).”

Miss Ziggy also had a freshen-up following her unplaced run in the Karaka Millions 3YO (1600m) and may head to the rescheduled Listed Gore Guineas (1200m) at Riverton in April.

“She arrived home last week and she is ticking along nicely,” Cartson said. “She had three weeks off in the paddock and has just started work again. I am unsure where I go, but possibly the rescheduled Gore Guineas could be an option.”