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Further success may come Gary Vile’s way on Tuesday at Otaki where he takes the covers off a promising youngster.
Fresh from a home track double on Saturday with Miss Appleton and Rock On, the Awapuni trainer is looking forward to the debut of Hard Merchandize in the Hunting & Fishing Otaki 2YO.
“He’s a nice little horse and he’s pretty professional so we’ve decided to go to the races with him,” Vile said.“He’s eligible for the Karaka Million and whether he’s that type of horse or not we’ll find out.”
The first race day representative for the multiple stakes winner and Group One performer Burgundy, Hard Merchandize is unbeaten in two trials.“In his first trial the gate scared him a bit and he got back and came through along the fence,” Vile said.
Third in his heat was Waldorf, who has since been a winner and runner-up in the Listed Wellesley Stakes.“In his second trial he was very good and sat outside the leader and got home well,” Vile said.
A grandson of the Gr.1 Golden Slipper winner Calaway Gal, Hard Merchandize was a $38,000 Karaka yearling.“To be perfectly honest, I only saw him on the day and later in the parade ring I liked him even more and bought him,” Vile said.
He also expects a tidy performance from stablemate Liana, who has had two trial outings to fit her for her return, in the Riverstone Café Maiden.“There’s a bit of form in that race, but she does go well fresh,” Vile said.