Te Akau Racing are hoping to put the last start disappointment behind them with Millefiori when they head to Ruakaka on Saturday.
The Mark Walker-trained four-year-old went into the Listed Tauranga Classic (1400m) in winning form, however, she found the tempo too hot in the transferred Hastings feature, finishing sixth.
“She was a touch disappointing at Hawke’s Bay,” Te Akau Racing’s assistant trainer Sam Bergerson said.
“We are thinking that she is a bit better right-handed, so it was a pity that it was moved away from Tauranga because she does have a great record there.
“Jonathan (Riddell, jockey) thought at Hastings, just because the way the race was run, she didn’t relax as well as he would have liked and she didn’t really finish off.”
She will now head north this weekend to take her place in the ITM/GIB Winter Championship Final (1400m) where Bergerson believes she will be a top chance with stable apprentice Jessica Allen aboard.
“We are going to get a four-kilo claim with Jess on, so she should get in there with a nice light weight. It looks like a field she should be very competitive in,” Bergerson said.
“It will probably be the end of the line for her, she has had a big season so she will likely go for a spell.”
Te Akau will also head to Ruakaka with Hero Worship and Dancarina.
“Hero Worship has had a long season, but he still looks well and has got plenty of condition on,” Bergerson said.
“He is there or thereabouts in the 65 grade. Hopefully on Saturday he can get over the line and get another win.
“Dancarina has run two very good races up there. She was unlucky not to win first-up and then second-up, after a long layoff, it is quite tough on them and she got stuck down on the inside and Michael (McNab, jockey) said the ground probably wasn’t to suit, but she was still very competitive.
“It doesn’t look like a big field, so she should be very competitive.”
Prior to the weekend, Te Akau Racing will head to Cambridge’s synthetic meeting on Thursday where they will be represented by Our Milly Bee in the Stratton Fencing 1300, Dignitosa in the Cambridge Equine Hospital 970, and Rare Company in the Nems Medical 2000.
“We have three nice chances. They all should be very competitive,” Bergerson said.
“They worked well this morning and I am really looking forward to Thursday with them.”