Malt on target for Ruakaka feature

[Wandering Eyes]

It may have been something of a ‘coming-of-age’ season for Malt Time (Adelaide), but her South Auckland-based trainer Shaun Clotworthy concedes her racing career is still coming to an end.

The seven-year-old Adelaide mare goes into Saturday’s Porthouse Bar & Eatery Bream Bay Sprint (1400m) at Ruakaka second-up for a new campaign designed to build fitness for another tilt at Group One racing through the Hawke’s Bay Spring Carnival.

A late bloomer, Malt Time finished second in the Gr.1 Arrowfield Stud Plate (1600m) at Hastings last spring, before third placings in the Gr.2 Auckland Thoroughbred Breeders’ Stakes (1400m) at Pukekohe and Gr.1 TAB Classic (1600m) at Trentham.

Those elite-level placings have made Malt Time a valuable broodmare proposition for breeder/owners Bill and Carrie Borrie, who will get her in foal in the coming spring, while racing her through that period.

“She really hit her straps last preparation. We were considering taking her Queensland for the Winter Carnival, but we decided against that,” said Clothworthy, who trains in partnership with his wife Emma.

“She’ll just stay here, have a couple of runs and she’ll get in foal next spring and race through as long as she keeps racing well.”

A winner of four of her 27 starts, Malt Time resumed with a fifth placing on an unsuitable Heavy Te Rapa track last month.

To be ridden by stable apprentice Ace Lawson-Carroll, Malt Time won her only previous start at Ruakaka when she was also presented second-up.

“We were happy with her fresh run. The track was probably a bit heavier than we thought it might have been. She’s a bit older now and she just hit the wall at the end of the race,” Clotworthy said.

“She was still tidy enough and she’s looked to have improved. We’re happy with her.  She worked up at the beach last Friday and it was as good a work we’ve seen from her.

“Ace rides her in a lot of her trackwork and he knows her well and gets on well with her. He gets a couple of kilos off her back with his claim too. I’d expect her to be competitive. She’s a decent horse who has worked up well and the improved track will suit her better.”

Beyond Saturday’s race, Malt Time is set to tackle the Listed Tauranga Classic (1400m) for fillies and mares on June 22.

The Clotworthys have plenty to look forward to at Ruakaka, with not only Mitonic (NZ) (Ocean Park), Aqua Man (NZ) (Power) and La Parisienne (NZ) (El Roca) racing on the undercard, but also the first ride for 18-year-old stable apprentice Sienna Brown.

“Sienna’s got two rides on her first race day. Aqua Man has been a good Ruakaka horse and he’s a good horse to kick Sienna off on,” Clotworthy said.

“Sienna’s from Morrinsville. Her parents race horses and they own the other one she’s riding, Hadid.

“She’s come through a pony club background and done her riding at Cambridge before she came to Byerley Park and signed up with us eight or nine months ago. She’s had about 40 trials rides so she’s ready to go.”

The Clotworthys took plenty of enjoyment through their former Group Two winner Hezashocka (NZ) (Shocking) continuing his good form in Brisbane last Saturday, winning the Gr.3 Premier’s Cup (2400m) at Eagle Farm for Melbourne-based trainers Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr.

Emma Clotworthy remains in the ownership along with former Kiwi commentating great Keith Haub.

“He’s been a great success story. He’s been a good horse for us. A good syndicate own him and he’s been going great this preparation. Hopefully that can continue into his next start, the Q22,” Clotworthy said, referencing the A$1.2 million Q22 (2200m) at Eagle Farm on Saturday week.

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