Pier will be looking to get his spring campaign back on track when he heads to Hastings this weekend.
The four-year-old gelding disappointed when finishing eighth when resuming in the Gr.2 Foxbridge Plate (1200m) at Te Rapa last month and trainers Darryn and Briar Weatherley are hoping to see improvement from their gelding when he contests the Gr.1 Westbury Stud Tarzino Trophy (1400) on Saturday.
“He is well in himself, his work has been good and he has got the change of gear with the visor blinkers on. We are hoping that sharpens him up for the 1400m on Saturday,” Darryn Weatherley said.
“It (Foxbridge run) was a bit ordinary and he never got up underneath Sam (Weatherley, jockey) at all. He was just running away from the horses inside him, got on the wrong leg and never got comfortable at any stage of the race.
“Whether that was due to the sand kick-back or because he drew out and they were running hard, I don’t know. It was just one of those runs where you put a line through it and move on.
“He has drawn well (3) for the weekend and we are hoping for a good run.”
The Weatherleys are hoping for a scratching ahead of the weekend so stablemate, and first emergency, Mali Ston will get a crack at the Group One feature.
“I would love to get him in the race,” Weatherley said.
“He has been very bright and well within himself. He would certainly run a cheeky race if he got in the field.”
The Matamata conditioners will be vying for more stakes glory earlier on the card when Group One performer Tulsi contests the Gr.3 HBPB Thoroughbred Breeders’ Association Gold Trail Stakes (1200m).
“It is a very even lot in the Gold Trail. You could make a case for any of the fillies that are in there,” Weatherley said.
“Hopefully she gets a nice run in transit. She has also got the visor blinkers on which may sharpen her up a bit and she can be thereabouts at the finish.”
Rounding out the stable’s Hastings contingent will be Heart Of Gold in the Livamol – International Animal Health Products Premier (1600m).
“All of his wins have been on the synthetic track, but he is just not a synthetic horse,” Weatherley said.
“He needs firm ground, which hopefully he gets on Saturday. He is not out of it with a nice, light weight.”
Meanwhile, Weatherley was disappointed with Ess Vee Are’s first-up Australian run at Sandown on Wednesday where he beat just one runner home in his 1800m contest.
“His run was very ordinary by the look of things. We will just assess how he is. He may not have travelled as well as I would have liked,” Weatherley said.
“In the wrap up of it all, he carried 62 kilos and they ran home the last 600m in 33 off the front, which is too quick for him coming from the back of the field. He has run home in 34 for the last 600m, which is probably the fasted he has gone in his life.
“He is a horse that probably needs 2200m and a genuine race so he can get over the top of them. 1800m at Sandown, where it was a sit and sprint, carrying the topweight like he did was just too tough for him.
“I’ll just see how he comes through the race and whether he picks up and starts eating properly. He took a while to settle in when he got over there, he wasn’t really eating that well. He got back on the tucker this week and that is the reason why he did run.
“He will have three weeks between races if he does go again and he will only run if he picks up. If he does, he will go to a 2000m race at Caulfield in an open race where he will carry 54kg as opposed to 62kg."