The talented mare Shez Ekstra, a member of the Lowry/Cullen stable who has been worked at Porangahau Beach for the past month and should be ready to resume racing in July.
Hawke's Bay thoroughbred trainers welcomed being able to recommence working their horses at the Hastings track this week, with 27 horses exercised on the various training tracks on Tuesday morning after the country's Covid-19 restrictions dropped to Level 3.
The track was closed for more than a month while the country was in lockdown, with most trainers either turning their horses out for a spell or giving them light exercise and lunging at their stables.
Gallops racing in New Zealand will not recommence until July, with the first meeting scheduled for Riccarton on Friday, July 3.
There are only 13 New Zealand gallop meetings scheduled for that month and they are restricted to just six race tracks; Riccarton, Te Rapa, Awapuni, Wanganui, Pukekohe and Invercargill.
There is also a proposed new limited calendar for August through to the mid-November.
The Lowry/Cullen stable brought 14 horses to the Hastings track on Tuesday, most of them youngsters who are in the early stages of their preparations.
"There is one raced horse, but all the others are young horses that need educating," co-trainer Guy Lowry said.
"They have basically just been trotting and on the walking machine at the stables for the past week, so it is good to get them back working on the track."
Shady Lady, who is the winner of one race, was among the 14-member Lowry/Cullen team. The others were an Atlante-Kalahari Princess three-year-old gelding, a Darci Brahma-Diplomacy two-year-old filly, a Ferlax three-year-old filly, an I Am Invincible filly, an Iffraaj-Madame Majou three-year-old filly, a Per Incanto-Queen Aly three-year-old gelding, a Per Incanto three-year-old filly, a Prince Conti three-year-old filly, a Roc de Cambes-Boxer Fluffies three-year-old gelding, a Savabeel-Baby Shakes two-year-old filly, a Savabeel-Miss Pro O'Reilly two-year-old gelding, a Swiss Ace-Midnight Molly two-year-old gelding and a Tavistock two-year-old gelding.
The Lowry/Cullen partnership plans to bring several other horses back into the stables in the second half of May. These include the well-performed pair of Atlanta Peach and Mohaka, Can I Get An Amen, Bellesgirl, Flying Habit, Tuigirl and Alpine Charm.
Lowry said the horse that is the most forward from their stable is the talented mare Shez Ekstra.
"She has been down at Mary Darby's property at Porangahau, where she has been able to be worked on the beach," Lowry said.
"She is a bit more forward than the rest and will be ready to race in July."
Shez Ekstra has recorded two wins and three seconds from 14 starts, both of her victories have been on heavy tracks.
Lowry, like most trainers, is concerned about what the future stake money levels will be, given that RITA has already said that cuts to stakes will be necessary given the loss of income the industry has had to endure during the Covid-19 crisis.
However, he is also worried that, under the proposed limited racing calendar for August through to mid-November, there is going to be a lack of races for young horses and maidens.
"When it comes to October, there are usually up to 40 horses nominated for a maiden race, and that is when we have plenty of racing on during the week. With only one or two meetings scheduled for the Central Districts each week in the new calendar, there are going to be a lot of horses who won't get a start and this will mean there will be a lot of unhappy owners."
Lee Somervell had five of his horses back at the track on Tuesday. They were the race winners One Prize On Goal and Thousandkissesdeep, maidens Pas de Giant and Fabulous Fleet and an unraced Rock 'N' Pop two-year-old filly.
Somervell said he decided to turn all five horses out for a spell at the commencement of the lockdown period and only brought them back into the stable last week.
"I've been lunging them for the last three or four days to get them ready to come back to the track but, apart from that, they have all had a good break," Somervell said.
He is also concerned about what cuts will be made to stake money levels and also is worried that, when we do start gallop racing again in New Zealand, it will be in the middle of the winter with heavy track conditions.
Owner-trainer Tim Symes brought three horses back to the track this week; My Tommy, Call Me Jack and an unraced Jakkalberry three-year-old gelding.
He said My Tommy was close to racing when the lockdown commenced so he should not take long to get back to race fitness and thinks all three of his horses should be ready to race by July.
Patrick Campbell worked two horses at the track on Tuesday, both unraced. They were a Handsome Ransom four-year-old mare and a Niagara four-year-old mare. Both had been undergoing light exercise around a small track at the Wall Road stables for the past few weeks.
He said his open class galloper Hunta Pence was due back from a spell on Wednesday but the promising four-year-old Satu Lagi will remain out spelling for a bit longer.
Owner-trainer Richard McKenzie worked the capable mare, Estefania, at the track on Tuesday and said he will have two more horses back next week; Freetime and a Darci Brahma two-year-old.
He said he has not done a lot with the trio but added that he cannot wait for the drought to end as Estefania is the winner of two races and they have been on slow and heavy tracks.
Fred Pratt had two horses in action, both unraced Ekraar geldings. He said he had been lunging them and also giving them light exercise on a paddock track where the horses are stabled.
"I will hopefully have them ready to race by July," Pratt said.
He added that he has another five horses also being educated; a Showcasing gelding, an Ekraar filly, a Darci Brahma filly, a Per Incanto gelding and a Jakkalbery gelding.
Marsh hints at Aussie move
Successful New Zealand trainer Stephen Marsh is concerned about the likely drop in stake money levels in this country and said a move across the Tasman is possible if prizemoney dives.
"I am looking forward to seeing what the stake money is like to see if it is worth training here," he said.
"If the stake money drops, you have got to consider Australia, because if we don't, all of our owners will be and we could lose the lot.
"I know Australia's (prizemoney) has dropped a little bit, but we can't afford to drop.
"I am very interested to see the new stake money and I am very worried about it."
Marsh has experienced success campaigning horses in Australia in the past, highlighted by Sofia Rosa's win in the 2016 Group 1 Australian Oaks (2400m) and Chocante's victory in the Group 2 Brisbane Cup (2400m).
Like most New Zealand trainers, he has also become accustomed to horses leaving his stable for overseas markets, with multiple Group 1 winner Lucia Valentina another top-liner to stem from his Cambridge base.
While Marsh is contemplating an Australian stable, one of his former stable runners is set to remain across the Tasman for good.
Dual stakes winner and Group 1 New Zealand Derby (2400m) placegetter Scorpz was retired after his run in last month's Group 1 Rosehill Guineas (2000m) and Marsh said they have found a great home for the son of Charm Spirit.
"Scorpz broke down in the Rosehill Guineas and has been retired. We found him a really nice home over there, he will be looked after for the rest of his days.
"He did a super job for us and I was rapt to have him."