Iain Hyndman's weekend racing round up

Miss Wilson is ready to continue winning form at Rotorua on Saturday.

Iain Hyndman's New Plymouth Tips
1: Not Usual June, Sagunto, Tutta La Classe
2: Sure He Can, Midnight Poetry, Zeefa Zed
3: Confessional, Morweka, Magicella
4: Replica, Lorde Have Mercy, Blue Rata Anna
5: Capucine, Jessiegee, Timb Bomb
6: Taurus, Rosewood, Lewis Caroll
7: Duffers Creek, Assign, Strolling Vagabond
8: Abacus, Regal Winks, Wafer
Best Bet: Not Usual June (R1)

Well-performed Whanganui winter galloper Taurus surprised his connections with his recent bold first-up showing under 60kg when he opened his campaign at Hastings.

The 11-time winner was caught three wide throughout and fought on gallantly for fourth in his first appearance for six months.

That has prompted trainers Evan and JJ Rayner to run him in the BNT Group Open 1200 at the Taranaki meeting on Saturday.

"We were over the moon, we didn't think he was that forward – it was a great run," co-trainer JJ Rayner said.

"He'll run at New Plymouth on Saturday where he'll get a bit of weight again, but he needs one more run before the Ag Challenge."

Taurus won the Listed Ag Challenge Stakes (1600m) on his home track at Wanganui in 2016 after placing in the previous two editions and finished third last year.

The Ag Challenge will feature at the Wanganui Queen's Birthday meeting on Saturday, June 2.

Johnathan Parkes will ride Taurus on Saturday.

Meanwhile, John Bary was back in the Group One groove at Te Aroha last month.
He successfully executed a long-term plan on April 7 when the well-related Miss Wilson reigned supreme in the Fiber Fresh New Zealand Thoroughbred Breeders' Stakes (1600m).

She has been given a brief freshen up and will step out in the Gr.3 ISCL Rotorua Stakes at Awara Park on Saturday under weight-for-age conditions.

An emotional Bary savoured top-flight success with the half-sister by Stratum to his former star galloper Jimmy Choux, a multiple Group One winner and former New Zealand Horse of the Year.

He (Jimmy Choux) was bred and raced by Richard and Liz Wood and their familiar colours were donned by Vinnie Colgan aboard Miss Wilson. Colgan will again be on board on Saturday.

"It's great for Richard and Liz. They have been big supporters of the stable," Bary said.

"This means a lot to me and my staff, they work long hours and this is as much about them as me."

Miss Wilson finished fourth in the Breeders' Stakes 12 months ago after she had won the Gr.3 Cuddle Stakes (1600m) and this time around Bary elected to bypass the Trentham event.

"I learned from last year and she is much better fresh," he said. – NZ Racing Desk