Racing: Recite's failure puzzles trainer

Miss selby wins the Rating 85 Livamol Blu Sprint Hcp at Hastings on August 30. Photo / Supplied

The weather gods answered his prayers but Recite's last placing has left Hastings trainer John Bary somewhat perplexed.

"We couldn't find anything so it'll take a maximum of two to three days to tell us," Bary said after the 4-year-old Darci Brahma-Chant mare stalled about 200m in the home straight with Danielle Johnson in the saddle in the Makfi Challenge Stakes on Saturday.

"It was a dead 5 today but we're not blaming the track at all," he said.

"It was a good ride but she just stopped badly," Bary said of the mare who shot out of the barrier to set the pace.

Injuries, he said, were often masked and it took a few days for tell-tale signs from horses to make a correct diagnosis.

The Kelly Burne-trained Survived, who Bary prepared to win the Makfi Challenge last year, finished in 14th place.

Jockey Shannon Doyle rode Bary's 4-year-old mare, Miss Selby, to victory in her Rating 85, 1400m Livamol Blu Sprint.

"She was very impressive," he said of the winner of the group three Lowland Stakes and runner-up in the New Zealand Oaks last season, who hadn't raced since April.

Taken The Liberty was runner-up as Chris Johnson opened Bary's account in the JB Organics Spring Carnival Sprint over 1200m.

Miranda Dravitsky and Frankly finished an "honest third" in the 1600m Stellar Artois Open Mile and Bary has bracketed the Waikato Stud mare for the next black-type race.

The Lee Somervell-trained Addictive Habit, with Bay connections, won the Open Mile after failing to make the feature race as a ballot entry.

"Xcuses Xcuses finished fourth against such good horses [in the Hawke's Bay Guineas Prelude] so I'll possibly put her in the Gold Trail Stakes," he said of the race in the Windsor Park Plate meeting on September 20.

Noel Harris and Commett finished fifth in the Bay Ford Punter of the Year October Mile.

Bary's other horse in the same race, Mae West, was scratched. He intends starting Miss Selby and Frankly in the $70,000 Merial Metric Mile at Awapuni in a fortnight.