She came from last to win in almost cartoonish fashion that day and Bergerson says both she and stablemate Qali Al Farrasha are in great condition heading into the next leg.
But what isn’t looking so flash is the Waikato weather.
It rained at the Te Rapa trials on Tuesday, with more expected on Wednesday, and while there is better weather forecast for Thursday and Friday, showers are still expected both days – and possibly again on Saturday.
Te Rapa was rated Soft 7 on Tuesday but it wouldn’t take a lot to to bring it back into the Heavy range – and that is when punters will need to be careful.
The trainers of most of the other big guns, Legarto, La Crique and El Vencedor, told the Herald yesterday they intend to start, even on a heavy track.
That is partially because they need a 1600m race as the logical next step to the Livamol Classic over 2000m at Ellerslie on October 18 and their only other option is the Matamata Cup on Saturday week.
But being a handicap, none of the big names would be well-weighted in that.
So while everybody wants to start this Saturday and most are resigned to starting even on a heavy track, Bergerson says Quintessa would become doubtful should the dreaded “H” word come into play.
He said she has come through Ellerslie in great fashion “and she will definitely start if it is only Soft – or probably even if it was a Heavy 8″.
“But I’d be reluctant to start her on a Heavy 10, I really don’t think it would suit her.”
So rather than back Quintessa early, Bergerson said punters should wait until at least after the final field is declared at about 10.30am on Wednesday so that if he does scratch her, they get their money back.
Which they won’t if they back her earlier in the Futures market.
“The forecast doesn’t look great so we might even wait as late as Saturday morning to make a decision,” Bergerson said.
For those wondering, the last time Quintessa started on a Heavy track was last September in the Let’s Elope Stakes at Flemington and she just didn’t look comfortable at any stage, dropping out to finish 13th of 15, just two weeks after winning the Cockram Stakes at Caulfield.
Co-trainer Ken Kelso says Legarto will almost certainly start as she needs a run under her belt and Simon Alexander says while La Crique would prefer a mid-range track, their stable’s little mare will be lining up.
“Whether it is to go to the Livamol next or Australia, she still needs a race and I think she might handle a wet track better than some might think,” Alexander said.
So all the big guns could be at Te Rapa on Saturday for a programme that will also contain the $175,000 Timberspan Hawke’s Bay Guineas, the next major step toward the New Zealand 2000 Guineas at Riccarton in November.
Howden Insurance Mile
When: Saturday.
Where: Te Rapa, Hamilton.
What: The second Group 1 race of the New Zealand thoroughbred season.
How much: $400,000.
Distance: 1600m.
Who? Legarto, La Crique, Quintessa, El Vencedor, Waitak, Tuxedo, Sharp N Smart and Ladies Man.
Other feature: The $175,000 Timberspan Hawkes Bay Guineas, also on Saturday’s programme.
Michael Guerin wrote his first nationally published racing articles while still in school and started writing about horse racing and the gambling industry for the Herald as a 20-year-old in 1990. He became the Herald’s Racing Editor in 1995 and covers the world’s biggest horse racing carnivals.
