Powerful Marotiri Molly on track for Otaki feature

[Wandering Eyes]

Group Two-winning mare Marotiri Molly (NZ) (Per Incanto) was in full flight at the Foxton trials on Tuesday as she readies for further black-type assignments.

From the early stages of her career, Marotiri Molly gained a reputation of running her rivals off their feet at the trials and this occasion was no different. Lining up over 850m, she jumped on even terms but swiftly broke the line to lead, continuing to extend that margin as she cruised to the line to win the heat by seven lengths with her regular rider Kate Hercock in the saddle.

The trial was the Per Incanto mare’s first appearance since finishing a close-up fifth in the Gr.1 Thorndon Mile (1600m) in January, which rounded off a stellar campaign where she won four races. That haul included the Gr.2 Manawatu Challenge Stakes (1400m), which followed a serious showing to place behind La Crique in the Gr.2 Auckland Thoroughbred Breeders’ Stakes (1400m).

“She was pretty fresh today and that’s the way she trials, she just likes to jump and get on with it,” her trainer Matt Dixon said.

“Kate was really happy, she thought she felt tremendous, and she would benefit from today, which is why we were there. She’s looking forward to getting back on her raceday.

“She had a month off after the Thorndon and had a good freshen-up, she packed on plenty of condition. I was pleased with her, it was just to bring her on for the Listed race at Otaki on the 12^th of April, that’s where we’ll kick off.”

Marotiri Molly struck consecutive Good4 surfaces throughout her summer campaign, but Dixon isn’t concerned about the likelihood of a softer track at Otaki or later at Arawa Park, where she will likely start in the Gr.3 Rotorua ITM Stakes (1400m) on May 10.

“She probably prefers the sting out of the track, she has won on a really heavy track, but I won’t be running her over the winter on bottomless tracks,” he said.

“After Otaki, she’ll most likely go up to Rotorua for the Group Three a month later, those are our targets at this stage. We’ll reassess from there, but she’ll have a break when the tracks get really wet and go again in the spring.”

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