KEY POINTS:
Robert Priscott knows the group one race coming up at Te Aroha would sit magnificently on Rosetti Bay's broodmare pedigree page.
But he is almost certain to avoid the $150,000 NZ Bloodstock Breeders Stakes at Te Aroha.
Priscott is convinced Rosetti Bay does not run out a genuine
1600m at the top level.
"I feel she should have won the last 1600m she contested, the Rich Hill Mile.
"She came up on the inside to win and didn't run the last bit strongly enough."
Priscott sees as an alternative a Brisbane winter campaign.
An ideal race, he says, is the Winter Stakes, a 1400m event won a couple of years ago by Miss Potential.
Rosetti Bay is a high-class mare at best and appears more solid now than at any previous stage of her career.
She once again showed what a good mare she is fresh by storming down the outside under Mark Du Plessis to win stylishly.
"I felt confident of being in it at the 600m," said Du Plessis.
The favourite Brianna went up to win at the 250m after trailing three back on the rails, but her condition gave out.
The classy filly had been lowered by a throat virus and trainer Don Sellwood was concerned a seven-week gap between races would see her lacking in condition.
"She blew out late," confirmed rider Mark Hills.
"She'll improve a lot with that run."
Spratt 'pops' shoulder
Sam Spratt has been advised to see a specialist about the shoulder she "popped" aboard Sardonyx at Tauranga.
Spratt's shoulder dislocated in the final stages of the race, but she was able to pull her mount up.
"It didn't hurt the first time I did it during the race, but back in the jockeys room I was swinging it around saying 'it's fine, it's fine', and it went out again and that time it did hurt," said Spratt.
The jockey said she would see her osteopath today.
"I have a back problem he looks at so this will be something else he has to fix.
"I'm hoping it can be fixed by bandaging and exercises to strengthen the muscles.
"If not it might take an operation."
Spratt's affected shoulder - her right - is noticeably dropped compared to her left.
It proved costly on Saturday - two races later Reese Jones picked up the vacant mount on Needuask and made the most of it by scoring a long head victory over well-fancied Irlanda.
"That was a game effort," said Jones, "because he had to work to lead early and Massive Heights niggled at him before the home turn".
Jim Collett had an interesting ride aboard fifth-placed Miss Vento.
The Cambridge filly threw Collett out of the saddle in doing its preliminary and again soon after the finish.
"It did a u-turn on me," said Collett as he limped back to the birdcage, "and it meant it".
Irlanda looked good for races over longer distances than the 1300m.
Hagar shows true worth
No Tauranga winner deserved their cheque more than Hagar.
The slightly underrated sprinter had endured a shocking run with barrier draws and showed what he could do with a decent one when he stormed home late to grab the talented Makutuwai in the last few bounds.
"He deserved that because he's just got so much guts," said trainer Ann Herbert.
"We're running out of time with him because he's strictly a dry tracker. There is a $40,000, 1400m at Ellerslie on April 9.
"He's best at 1400m, but he runs a fair mile and we might try him over that on the way out to the spelling paddock," said Herbert.
Hagar was the second winner for the day for Reese Jones.
Cypress Point goes back-to-back
Roger James said he always knew Cypress Point would produce solid form. At Tauranga Cypress Point put together back-to-back wins after having been successful over the Auckland Cup meeting.
"He's been sparingly raced and I didn't run him over a middle distance until this preparation," said James.
In his current form, Cypress Point might look a good chance in the Hawkes Bay Cup, but James is considering a Queensland winter carnival option.
"There are plenty of good races there like the Ipswich Cup and Caloundra Cup," said James.
"If he goes to Queensland he won't be running in the Hawkes Bay Cup - there is no point taking a tired horse to Queensland."
Cypress Point beat his stablemate Ocean Storm on Saturday, who should not be difficult to place on that performance.