RACING: Sharp gallop by Pinpoint

JOHN JENKINS
Pinpoint, a close second in her debut at Gisborne a couple of weeks ago, looks ready to go one better on her home track this Thursday.
The Pins mare, trained at Hastings by Grant Cullen, strode out strongly at this morning's Hastings track session in preparation for Thursday's Hawke's Bay meeting.
Fast work was carried out on the plough and wide out on the No.1 grass.
The course proper had a penetrometer reading of 3.1 yesterday and another six millimetres of rain fell on the track last night.
Pinpoint seemed to relish the dead track conditions when working keenly inside stablemate Fatal Embrace at the end of 1000m on the grass in 1:5.6, the last 600 in 36.2.
Pinpoint went down by just a neck over 1200m at Gisborne and had been an impressive trial winner over 1000m at Wanganui before that. She would only need to draw reasonably close in on Thursday to be hard to beat. Robert Hannam will again ride.
The Scabbard was another who showed out this morning, working nicely over 1000m on the plough, the last 800 taking 50.3 and final 600 in 36.2. He has his first start from the Dianne Sergeant stable on Thursday.
Hastings trainer Guy Lowry will line up four horses at Thursday's Hawke's Bay meeting in Shostakovich, Royal Lady, Starbelly and Regal Swift and all four looked in great order this morning.
They were all restricted to just three-quarter pace on the plough, with Shostakovich and Royal Lady working over 1000m together in 1:17.2, the last 600 in 44.8.
Royal Lady was withdrawn from last Saturday's Otaki meeting once the track became too wet while Shostakovich looks to have thrived since winning at Gisborne a couple of weeks ago.
Sixteen Red was working keenly at the end of his work on the plough, the last 600 taking 40.3 while Regal Swift worked over 1200m at three-quarter pace.
Magnify, another likely to start at Hastings on Thursday, ran 1000m on the plough at three-quarter pace, the last 800 taking 57 while Shoestring worked in from the 1000m peg on the same track, speeding up slightly over the last 600 in 38.3.
Graceio and a Deputy Governor gelding, both trained by Marcus Ormond, took 59.7 for an easy 800m on the plough, the last 600 in 41.5.
South Island visitor Mr Toff continues to thrive and will start next in the Feilding Cup at Awapuni on October 29.