By MIKE DILLON
Society Beau did nothing to ruin the illusion that August's Te Teko trials start the run-up to the glamour of spring and summer racing carnivals.
In winning Wednesday's 1000m open trial at Te Teko, the highly rated Society Beau also showed he had completely recovered from the leg trouble which destroyed his Queensland winter campaign this past season.
After winning three from three in New Zealand, Society Beau was a good thing beaten in his Australian debut in Brisbane after which he developed a leg problem.
"As much as anything it was shinsoreness," said trainer Mark Walker after the trials win.
"There was a bit of high-up suspensory pain, but that was as much immaturity as anything.
"I could have kept him going through the carnival, but sometimes you have to look at the bigger picture and know when to pull stumps for the good of the horse's future.
"The good thing about taking him over there is that he has matured a lot mentally."
Society Beau is a lump of a horse who was always going to get better with time.
Walker says he will guide the horse through the grades in the spring with the aim of racing him at the carnivals at Ellerslie and Trentham.
"If all goes well we'll look at Australia in the autumn."
Walker had reason to be delighted with emerging stable talent when he won both trials for the new season 2-year-olds on Wednesday.
A half brother by O'Reilly to outstanding galloper Veandercross won the first heat by a long neck and his stablemate, a colt by King's Theatre raced clear by three lengths.
"The King's Theatre is a really precocious type who is a natural galloper," said Walker.
"If he comes through this trial well he'll probably go to the first juvenile race of the season at Wanganui.
"The O'Reilly is a lovely type of horse with ability who will get better with a bit of time.
"I'm not sure what the plans will be for him."
New Zealand's most under-estimated horse, O'Malleys Boy, raced away with one of the two 1000m open trials, putting his name down to be in the running in the $150,000 Mudgway Partsworld Stakes at Hastings.
"He's really well," said co-trainer Andrew Scott.
Third to O'Malley's Boy was Wills, who looked smart from only a handful of starts last season.
"It was a good effort for a one-win horse," said trainer Ross Taylor.
Wills will start the season either at Taupo on August 22 or at Hawkes Bay on the 25th.
"There are a couple of likely 4-year-old races in October and November we'll aim him at," said Taylor.
Class mare Singalong delighted co-trainer Stephen Autridge finishing third to Society Beau.
Singalong was the third equal rating 3-year-old filly behind Tapildo and Ethereal at distances beyond 1600m last season, but was the highest earning filly behind smart males Hail and Tit For Taat.
"I was very pleased with her trial run, specially as it was only over 1000m," said Autridge.
"She wasn't getting a lot of room behind them on the home turn and when the gap opened she looked like she was going to fly through and Noel Harris grabbed her up."
The 1400m of the Mudgway Partsworld Stakes is short of what most consider an ideal distance for Singalong, but Autridge is not concerned.
"Given a good track, she will go a big race - regardless of the distance."
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