3 minute read

Quality filly Honey Rider is in the right order to chase down her second Group Three victory for the season.

The daughter of Pins looked to be in for a soft kill in Monday’s Auto Cheap Taupo 1300 and so it proved ahead of a sterner test at Te Rapa on Saturday week.

“She did that easily enough and she’ll go to the Cambridge Breeders’ Stakes now,” said Murray Baker, who trains in partnership with Andrew Forsman.

“She’s had a bit of a freshen up and she was ready to go again.”

The winner of the Gr.3 Gold Trail Stakes at Hastings in the spring, Honey Rider was caught three wide in a small field at Taupo before rider Michael Coleman allowed her to slide forward outside the leader.

Honey Rider was in charge at the top of the straight and she strode clear to inflict a first defeat on Alamosa Express.

“She’s pretty good when she’s right and she looked to be waiting for the others a bit,” Baker said.

He also confirmed that their last-start Gr.1 New Zealand Thoroughbred Breeders’ Stakes winner Charmont would return to action on April 29.

“She’s going to run in the Travis Stakes at Te Rapa, but I’m not sure about things after that,” Baker said.

Charmont had won the Listed Wairarapa Thoroughbred Breeders’ Stakes in February for breeder-owner Bob Emery before breaking through at the highest level in the Te Aroha feature.