Stablemates in good touch for Taranaki return

Peter Lock’s trio of weekend representatives will be back in familiar territory at New Plymouth where they have all performed well on previous visits.

The Te Aroha trainer will have Pick Of The Litter, Jungle Love and No More Pennies in action on Saturday with all three in good form ahead of their respective engagements.

Lock will also be double handed at the Awapuni meeting on Friday with Vittorio Veneto and Shez Shamus strong chances on the synthetic track.

Pick Of The Litter will drop back in trip for the Sinclair Electrical & Refrigeration (1800m) following a middle-distance victory on her home track two runs back and a solid last-start fourth at Waverley.

A previous course and distance runner-up on the Taranaki circuit, the Vadamos mare has posted all four of her career victories on rain-affected ground.

“I have been tossing up whether to run her in the Taumarunui Cup, but I was worried she might not get in that so we’ve paid up for Saturday and her work on Tuesday morning was probably her best for months,” Lock said.

“Masa Hashizume is coming down to ride her, he thinks a bit of the mare and she is very genuine and going extra well.”

Taranaki Building Ltd (1400m) contender Jungle Love is a two-time winner at New Plymouth and due another major reward following consecutive runner-up finishes at Otaki, Matamata and most recently at Waverley.

The well-related four-year-old is expected to benefit with the application of side winkers.

“Chris (Dell) got off her the other day and said halfway down the straight he hadn’t gone for her when she cruised up to the other horse, but wouldn’t go past it,” Lock said.

“She’s still a work in progress and I think she’ll be a very good mare in time, she’s bred to be good but her brain’s not up with her physique at this stage.”

Jungle Love is by Ace High out of the multiple-winning Zabeel mare Lovelight, a daughter of Gr.1 New Zealand Oaks (2400m) winner Jungle Rocket.

“She’s bred to stay, but we’ve kept her to a mile at the moment because I don’t think she’s quite strong or robust enough to tackle 2200m just yet,” Lock said.

“I couldn’t be happier with her, and she really deserves to get another one.”

No More Pennies, who has twice placed at New Plymouth, was a dominant last-start winner at Waverley and has trained on well ahead of the Seaton Park MAAT (1800m).

“The race on Saturday looks a good one for him, it’s a nice step up in distance,” Lock said.

Meanwhile, all-weather specialist Vittorio Veneto will chase two wins on the bounce at Awapuni when he runs in Friday’s Pryda Synthetic Final Qualifier (1400m).

“He loves the synthetic and hopefully he can win and qualify for that final at the end of the season,” Lock said.

Shez Shamus drew attention to her prospects in the Tomo’s Aluminium Services & Peter Baker Glass 2026 (1700m) with a game effort for third on the course earlier this month.

“She drew the outside and had to go hard to get across so it was a gutsy effort, she’s drawn three this time and should be competitive,” Lock said.