Pier and co-trainer Briar Weatherley after winning the New Zealand 2000 Guineas in 2022. Photo / Ajay Berry
Darryn and Briar Weatherley’s Group 1 winner Pier is set to make a welcome return to their Matamata stable at the start of next month, following a wind operation.
The 6-year-old son of Proisir had made a pleasing return over summer, finishing runner-up in the Group 1 Ōtaki Māori WFA Classic (1600m) at Ellerslie in February before finishing a distant last in the Group 1 Bonecrusher New Zealand Stakes (2000m) at the Auckland track on Champions Day.
A vet exam revealed a slight abnormality on the left side of his larynx and he subsequently underwent a tie-back operation to resolve the issue.
“He had tie-back surgery after his last run at Ellerslie. He is in rehab now and he is recovering well,” Briar Weatherley said.
“We are really happy with him and he is looking to get back into the stable on June 1, so we are looking forward to getting him back.”
While the Weatherleys are looking forward to Pier’s imminent return, they are excited to kick off the career of his full-brother Aventus in the Entain/NZB Insurance Pearl Series at Matamata on Wednesday.
The 2-year-old colt impressed the father-daughter partnership when winning his trial over 850m at Te Awamutu last month, and Weatherley said he is showing signs he has inherited the family talent, with the youngster also being a half-brother to Group 3 winner Maria Farina.
“He has been a nice colt right from the start and has promised a lot,” Weatherley said. “I think he reeks of natural family ability.
“I am looking forward to kicking him off on Wednesday and I am sure whatever he does, he is only going to improve going into next prep.”
Continuing the family theme, their half-sister Rumours will be seeking to double her win tally when she heads to Ellerslie on Saturday to contest The Lawn Shed Winter Series – Progressive Qualifying Race (1500m).
The 3-year-old daughter of Contributer has won one of her four starts to date, and the Weatherleys are hoping she can bounce back to winning form this weekend following her seventh-placed run over 1200m at Ellerslie last month.
“Her run wasn’t too bad at Ellerslie last time, she was just a little bit unlucky,” Weatherley said. “We thought she found the line well and she is a nice filly going forward. A bit of time won’t worry her either.”
She will be joined in her race by stablemate Inside Out.
“Inside Out was really disappointing first up [when seventh over 1400m at Pukekohe earlier this month],” Weatherley said. “We went into the race at Puke off a nice trial and thought he would put his foot in the till, but he was really disappointing.
“We have brought him home and checked him out and we haven’t found anything wrong with him so we have pressed on and have done a few things differently with him, we have done a bit of jumping and hopefully that has sparked him up and hopefully he can put his best foot forward on Saturday.”
The Weatherleys will also head to Ellerslie with Amusement and Bulgari, with the latter having his final start of the season in The Lawn Shed Winter Series – 3YO Qualifying Race (1100m) before heading for a spell in preparation for some feature southern sprints in spring.
“We are really happy with how he has come through his run in the Windsor Park [Group 3 Cambridge Breeders’, 1200m],” Weatherley said. “He was a little bit unlucky and cost himself being a bit slow away, but he found the line well and his work has been really good since. Fingers crossed he can get a little bit of luck on Saturday, he deserves his day in the sun.
“He is going to go for a spell after the weekend and we will potentially geld him. Hopefully that sharpens him up a wee bit and hopefully we can look into some nice sprinting targets at Riccarton. Those sprint races have been on the radar for a while, so we will plan it out and hopefully we get there.”
Back at Matamata on Wednesday, the stable will also be represented by Roc de Night Away in the Matamata Function Centre @ The Racecourse (1400m) and Kalgarry Ally in the MMRC Members Thank Our Sponsors – Support Local (1400m).
“Roc de Night Away is a horse that Mapperley gave us to lease and we put a syndicate together with a whole bunch of our close friends and family,” Weatherley said. “It has turned out to be a really fun syndicate and everyone is getting a bit of enjoyment out of it.
“Her first start at Te Aroha was on a really Heavy track and you couldn’t condemn her. We tipped her out for a spell, she is not very big but she is pretty gutsy. She has got a bit of an attitude and tries hard.
“We were looking forward to getting her back on a good track last time and she drew wide and hit the line really well at Ellerslie. It was a really big run from her.
“She looks like she is promising enough going forward and will hopefully give the syndicate a few parties.”
Kalgarry Ally finished ninth on debut over 1200m at Ellerslie last month and Weatherley is hoping to see an improved performance on Wednesday.
“We thought her run at Ellerslie first up wasn’t the worst,” Weatherley said. “She just got herself a bit worked up before the start.
“We have had a play around with a few gear adjustments and she is going an extra 200m on Wednesday, so hopefully we see a bit of improvement from her.”
– LOVERACING.NZ News Desk