Skew Wiff on track for Tarzino defence after strong return

[Wandering Eyes]

Skew Wiff winning last season’s Group 1 Tarzino Trophy (1400m) at Hastings. Photo: Peter Rubery (Race Images Palmerston North)

Te Akau Racing are hoping Skew Wiff’s placing in last Saturday’s Group 2 Foxbridge Plate (1200m) at Te Rapa bodes well for her Group One title defence at Hastings on Saturday-week.

The Waikato Stud-bred and raced mare placed in the same race last year before winning the Group 1 Tarzino Trophy (1400m), and the now five-year-old appears to be on a similar trajectory.

“We are really happy with her. I thought it was a really good first-up effort,” said Sam Bergerson, who trains the mare in partnership with Mark Walker. “She loomed up to win and blew out that last little bit on that testing track (Heavy 9) and the one draw played against us a little bit.

“We are really proud of her and the winner (Bonny Lass) was just too good. That should clean her up nicely for Hawke’s Bay, she seems to have come through it well.”

Last year Skew Wiff headed across the Tasman where she won the Group 3 Hong Kong Jockey Club Stakes (1400m) at Flemington on Melbourne Cup Day, but she will likely remain in New Zealand this spring, with plans to be firmed following her Tarzino run.

“We will get through the Tarzino and then sit down and have a team talk with Mark Chittick (Waikato Stud principal) and see what he wants to do,” Bergerson said. “Whether they breed her this year or they breed her and keep going, and we map out another plan for her.

“I imagine she will stick around here in New Zealand, just what we do after the Tarzino will be dependant on how she runs.”

Skew Wiff is currently a $6 second favourite, alongside Bonny Lass, in Tarzino Trophy futures markets with horse racing bookmakers, with the Danny Walker and Arron Tata-trained Crocetti the clear top pick at $2.20.

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