Racing: M'Lady should break maiden ranks today

Hello M'Lady will step out at Taupo today. Photo / File

Talented 3-year-old filly Hello M'Lady will be out to break maiden ranks when she steps out in the Cambridge Stud 1200 at Taupo today.

Prepared by Matamata trainer Vicki Prendergast, Hello M'Lady made an encouraging start to her career with a debut fourth in April at Rotorua behind the subsequent stakes winner Ugo Foscolo and a second to Jon Snow at New Plymouth.

The daughter of Shocking then stepped up to stakes company and was narrowly beaten into fourth in the Listed Great Northern Foal Stakes at Ellerslie behind the talented Ichiban.

"She had a short spell after her 2-year-old campaign and although she is not 100 per cent fit, I'd be disappointed if she didn't finish in the placings at Taupo," the horsewoman said.

"It will be her first run on a firmer surface and while she likes rain-affected going, I am pleased we're not kicking off her campaign on a testing track."

Prendergast has lofty plans for the filly which she believes will be better suited over ground.

"Depending on how she comes through the run on Friday we'll look to go to the Wanganui Guineas and then a couple of listed races at Ellerslie after that.

"Shaun McKay will ride her and he has been working her the last couple of weeks on gallop mornings and has got to know her quite well."

Prendergast, who is in just her second season of training, is an accomplished horsewoman with a background in eventing and showjumping.

"My husband Michael and I run a small agistment block.

"We spell racehorses and do yearling preparations under our Sanderston Park banner as well as a bit of pre-training. We ended up with her because we couldn't sell her at the yearling sales," Prendergast said.