Joliestar is not the only good Zoustar carrying the colours of Cambridge Stud as Lance Noble has his eye on a major early season prize with one of the few older members of his stable.
The Karaka-based private trainer for Cambridge Stud has the Gr.1 Proisir Plate (1400m) on September 6 top of his wish list for the well-performed Habana.
“He’s got a good record at Ellerslie, he likes going right-handed and it’s not far from home,” Noble said.
“We’ll get him as fit as we can and try and see if we can maybe catch a few of the others a bit under done.”
To that end, Habana has trialled at Avondale and at Taupo this week after he was to have raced at Ruakaka last weekend, but insufficient entries resulted in the race being scrapped.
“Hopefully, he’ll race at Ruakaka (on Saturday week) in an open 1400m race and if we’re happy he’ll run in the Proisir,” Noble said.
The son of Zoustar has posted eight victories and four placings from his 23 starts, including success in the Gr.2 Rich Hill Mile (1600m), but was restricted to a limited autumn preparation.
“He had colic surgery just before Christmas and we got him back and he had two runs before we put him,” Noble said.
Another established member of the team is Jaarfi, who hasn’t raced since the Iffraaj mare finished a close and unlucky second in the Gr.1 New Zealand Thoroughbred Breeders’ Stakes (1600m).
“She has been back in work for a month, we considered getting her ready for the early races, but she is more of a summer horse,” Noble said.
“There are some nice fillies and mares’ races and hopefully she can go one better.
“We’re going through a rebuilding period, but we’ve got Jaarfi, Habana and Frostfair up to black-type races and we’ve got some nice younger horses coming through, you never know where the next one is coming from.”
Among them is Hello Youmzain’s daughter Heloisa who has made an encouraging start to her career.
“She had two starts at two for a couple of nice thirds and she’s developed during a break, we’ve got confidence in her,” Noble said.
Unfortunately, the news is not so good regarding another talented daughter of Hello Youmzain in Remala, who was an impressive debut winner at Ellerslie last Boxing Day.
“About two and a-half months ago we had a big storm here and she was spelling in the paddock,” Noble said. “She went through a fence and has been at the vet clinic since then.
“Fortunately, she was able to be saved and there is hope we can get her back racing, but it will be a long process.” – LOVERACING.NZ News Desk
