Ellerslie racegoers may not have seen the last of grand Wanganui steeplechaser Hypnotize.
"We've brought him back into work and he's looking very well," said trainer Raymond Connors of the 11-year-old.
There was talk of retirement after Hypnotize won his third Great Northern Steeplechase last September, carrying 70.5kg.
The race took a lot
out of him, though Connors and father Mark, a part-owner, declined to make a hasty decision about his future.
Raymond Connors said yesterday that, all going well, Hypnotize will race at Ellerslie on Queen's Birthday weekend and he will then assess the likelihood of another Northern bid.
"But this will definitely be his last season," said Connors.
Meanwhile Connors is hoping for a better effort from Auckland Cup hope Blood Brotha at Otaki tomorrow. The stayer was flat-chat throughout at New Plymouth last Saturday.
"He'll have to run better or we won't be going to the Cup," said Connors, who is also hoping for some rain for his other Otaki entrant Goldmist.
A foe for Blood Brotha tomorrow is Shaune Ritchie's Roi D'Jeu. He is also heading for the Auckland Cup, where he is likely to be ridden by an Aussie.
Ritchie expects Sydney-bound Keep the Peace, who has been working on the beach this week with Roi D'Jeu and and Derby hope Hidden Asset, to be extremely competitive in the $200,000 Gr1 Haunui Farm Classic (W-F-A 1600m), though he concedes last year's winner, Mufhasa, will take a power of catching again. There's Wall Street to go past as well.
Keep The Peace is being set for the Ranvet Stakes and BMW at Rosehill next month.
There's likely to be high excitement at Matamata tomorrow, with the $100,000 Breeders Stakes.
Anabandana hasn't raced since winning at Ellerslie on New Year's Day, a performance that thrilled veteran trainer Don Sellwood, who predicts a bright future for his young charge.
The Bakers' Beejay Belle was half a head off the winner last start after getting clear late while the Rogersons' Dowager Queen was an unlucky second behind Duckworth Lewis on February 5.
Roger James has a rough chance of quinellaing another feature, the $45,000 Stanley Trac Stakes (2000m) with Veronica Franco and The Party Strand.
They will be shadowed by Capecover and Miss Sharapova.
Fields/form in Racing Guide
