The first day of the Hawke’s Bay Spring Carnival holds fond memories for recently crowned Champion New Zealand Trainer Sam Bergerson, and he is hoping to create some more when he heads to Hastings on Saturday.
Three years ago, Bergerson was just a month into his training partnership with Mark Walker, and the pair had a red-letter day at Hastings on what was then Tarzino Trophy Day. They won four races, with Bergerson winning his first Group One as a trainer courtesy of Skew Wiff in the Gr.1 Tarzino Trophy (1400m), while Quintessa won the Gr.3 Gold Trail Stakes (1200m) and fan favourite Tokyo Tycoon took out the Listed Sir Colin Meads Trophy (1200m).
“It was an incredible day that day, I think we had four winners and Imperatriz won over in Australia,” Bergerson said.
While Skew Wiff, Quintessa and Imperatriz have all transitioned into their second careers as broodmares, Tokyo Tycoon is enjoying his retirement in the South Island.
“We rehomed Tokyo Tycoon and he is down in the South Island,” Bergerson said. “He is with a young girl who takes him to shows. He is loving it and he is enjoying a good life.”
The opening day of this year’s Hawke’s Bay Spring Carnival will have a different look, with Saturday’s meeting being just the third at the venue since the track underwent remedial work following a slip in the first race on the second day of the carnival in 2024.
The Timberspan-sponsored Sir Colin Meads Trophy will be the sole stakes race on Saturday, with the renamed Gr.1 Proisir Plate (1400m) having taken place at Ellerslie last week, while the Gr.3 HBPB Thoroughbred Breeder’s Gold Trail Stakes (1200m) will be contested on the second day of the carnival in a fortnight.
Bergerson is looking forward to the return of the carnival to its traditional home this weekend and he is hopeful unbeaten youngster System Of Play can replicate Tokyo Tycoon’s heroics in the Sir Colin Meads Trophy.
“It is fantastic to get back to Hawke’s Bay where I have some very fond memories,” Bergerson said. “He obviously has a different profile to Tokyo Tycoon, but we are certainly hoping for the same result.”
System Of Play had one start as a two-year-old where he beat last month’s Listed Wanganui Guineas (1200m) winner Perfect Chaos, and Bergerson has been pleased with his progression into his three-year-old season.
“The form out of that race has been pretty sharp,” Bergerson said. “He has grown into a lovely colt. He has filled out and matured a lot and strengthened up.
“He has got a fantastic attitude and laidback demeanour, he takes it all in his stride and he has never really put a foot wrong. Even in his races and trials he is just so straightforward, he drops the bridle and he relaxes. When he quickens, he is there and ready to go.”
System Of Play has had two lead-in trials, running fourth over 900m at Te Rapa at the start of last month before placing over 850m at Te Awamutu a fortnight ago.
“He has had a couple of trials, and he is fit and well and ready to go,” Bergerson said. “It has been hard to get a line on rain-affected going (in his trials), which we don’t think he appreciates. They have been nice enough (trials) without being asked to do too much. Hopefully on a reasonable surface on Saturday and up to 1200m, he can be very competitive.
“He is an exciting horse and we are just hoping that the weather stays dry.”
The stable will also be represented at the meeting by Born To Be Royal in the Heretaunga Hastings Mile (1600m).
The dual Group Two placed daughter of King’s Legacy finished fourth first-up over 1500m at Te Rapa last month and Bergerson is hopeful of an improved result this weekend.
“I thought her first-up run was good, and she acquitted herself well as a three-year-old in some very good company,” he said. “In the 1500m first-up at Te Rapa they just went a sedate tempo at stages and they sprinted and she was left a little bit flat-footed, but I really liked the way she got to the line.
“Up to the mile, it looks a really suitable race on paper, and she doesn’t seem to mind a little bit of sting out of the tracks. She has trained on well and she looks terrific, she looks a nice chance.”
At Riccarton, the stable will also be hunting stakes success in the Listed NZB Canterbury Belle Stakes (1200m) with Sweetest Thing and Sword Of Stars.
Previously trained by Bergerson’s father, Roydon, Sweetest Things was runner-up in three of her four starts for the Awapuni horseman last season, including behind Te Akau’s Seize The Day in the Gr.1 Manawatu Sires’ Produce Stakes (1400m).
The daughter of Hello Youmzain was subsequently sold to Glentree Racing, who entrusted her to the care of Te Akau Racing, for whom she has had two trials ahead of her stable debut this weekend.
“I know a lot about this filly from Dad, and I am grateful to the Glentree Racing team for purchasing her and sending her our way,” Bergerson said. “She has had a really good build-up into it and went two really nice trials.
“The weather is a bit frustrating, but she looks on paper to have the form on the board, and she has drawn nicely (6). Wiremu (Pinn, jockey) knows her well and it looks like a really good kick off point.”
Sword Of Stars will also be resuming following three runs as a two-year-old, which included two runner-up performances.
“I think Sword Of Stars will run well in the Canterbury Belle,” Bergerson said. “She has drawn the carpark (14), but you never know, it might be the place to be.
“She has travelled down well. I really liked her trials and she has got plenty of experience.”
The stable is set to line-up 10 other runners at the meeting, and Bergerson is upbeat about their prospects, but is hopeful the weather will improve ahead of Saturday.
“We would love some fine weather,” he said. “The rain will hinder a few of them, but in saying that, they need to kick-off and get going if they want to get stuck in during the spring.”
Across the Tasman, Lara Antipova, who was crowned last season’s Champion New Zealand Two-Year-Old at the New Zealand Thoroughbred Horse of the Year Awards in Auckland last Sunday night, will contest the Listed Michael Moroney (1400m) at Flemington.
Previously unbeaten in her four starts as a juvenile in New Zealand, including the Gr.1 Sistema Stakes (1200m), The Fortuna Racing filly suffered her first defeat when ninth in the Gr.3 Quezette Stakes (1100m) at Caulfield last month.
Speaking with Mark Walker earlier in the week, Bergerson said he is confident of an improved showing this weekend, where she will be ridden by Mark Zahra.
“Talking with Mark, as he has been back for the awards, she has really picked up in the coat and has gone the right way since,” Bergerson said. “Her work has sharpened up a little bit as well.
“From what I have gathered from Mark, she has really turned the corner following that first-up effort, which I think was still good without getting the rub of the green. They are going to be on a really good surface on Saturday, which will suit her.” – LOVERACING.NZ News Desk
