Dawn Parade has often left trainer Tony Pike scratching his head, but his last two performances have been more in line with the talent he possesses.
The six-year-old is a mercurial character and if he puts his best foot forward he promises to be a major player in the Waikato Stud Foxbridge Plate Day 26 August Handicap (1200m) at Te Rapa on Saturday.
“You just don’t know which one is going to turn up, unfortunately he hasn’t got the biggest heart in the world, so it really depends what frame of mind he turns up at the races in,” Pike said.
“He’s probably in the best form he has been in for a while and it was really just the weights that got him last time.”
Off the back of a resuming victory over this weekend’s course and distance, Dawn Parade finished third at Tauranga when conceding 7.5kg and 6.5kg respectively to the first two home.
“He has run two solid races this time in and he’s always a chance in these sorts of races before the really gun open sprinters come out for the spring,” Pike said.
“While there is plenty of give in the ground and the better ones aren’t around, he’s probably going to be competitive in these open sprints.”
Dawn Parade will be opposed on Saturday by his stablemate Tellall, who will be making his first appearance of the year.
“He’s come back from a decent break and his last trial was pretty encouraging and he’s worked really well since,” Pike said.
“I don’t really want to kick him off on a heavy track so hopefully it improves a bit before the weekend.
“He’s in the same boat as the other horse, he’s probably not up to the best of them so we’ll see if we can get a win out of him before the guns come back.”
With the benefit of recent racing, Pike favoured Dawn Parade as the stable’s best chance.
“He’s got those two runs under his belt, so has the race fitness on his side,” he said.
Pike will also be represented by Stash and Preferential in the opening event, the SVS Starting Gates Maiden (2200m).
“They are in reasonable form, no superstars, but their last couple of runs have been solid enough to be each way chances,” he said.