Racing: Fresh runners confuse Te Rapa punters

For all her natural brilliance Ruud Van Slaats does not have a shining record fresh from a break.

But that may not be enough to stop her being the horse to beat in the $45,000 Listed Timpson Family Trust at Te Rapa tomorrow.

Ruud Van Slaats has not raced since finishing third to Mufhasa in the group one Waikato Draught Sprint at Te Rapa in early February.

The classy mare has a solidly-built middle and generally improves with a race after a break, but she has had a barrier trial at Te Teko for a close second to Vincent Mangano to help fit her for this.

The class horses of the field are all pretty much in the same predicament as Ruud Van Slaats.

Veloce Bella, Pinsoir and Jazzella are also returning from winter spells, so it is not as though Ruud Van Slaats is facing a field of seasoned horses.

Ruud Van Slaats races on the pace and should get the perfect run from her No 4 draw.

The connections of Pinsoir, Veloce Bella and Jazzella see the minor placings as their best target at their level of fitness.

"With a very good run she's probably a place chance," said Matamata horseman Mark Brosnan of Veloce Bella.

"She's a class mare and her work has been very good.

"But she's a staying-type filly and they may just go a little fast for her over 1200m to be a winning hope."

Paul Duncan is aiming Pinsoir again at the Concorde, Railway and Telegraph. The Cambridge trainer feels the three to four weeks between a Te Teko barrier trial and this race might have Pinsoir a little short of full fitness.

"He has come up as well as he was last season and if anything he may even be a little more forward this time.

"I quite liked his trial at Te Teko [close second]."

Helping to confuse this race is the barrier draw.

Donna Logan on Jazzella: "She's pretty forward, but the No 15 gate isn't going to help her much."

The stable is looking for that elusive big win to underpin Jazzella's career as a broodmare.

"She was served a couple of weeks ago and we had her scanned and she isn't in foal.

"She can have this race then go back to the stallion early next week. It would be lovely to pick up one of the big races with her over the summer before she's finished."

One who does have a little fitness on her side is emerging mare Attalla.

She has been very patiently handled by Lance Noble and won fresh at her local meeting at Matamata.

She has had plenty of time to get over that and rates a chance.

So does Jazzella's stablemate Dashing Donna.

She ran on late for fifth behind San Bernadino under weight-for-age conditions at Rotorua in her second start back from a spell last time and under handicap conditions here drops from 56.5kg to 52.5kg.

At the top level, 4kg is a massive swing.