Racing: Rio 

Rio Nugget, preparing for the Rating 85 1000-metre dash at Tauherenikau this Saturday, took the time honours with a quick 800-metre gallop at this morning’s Hastings track session.

Fast work was carried out on the plough (slushy) and wide out on the No.1 grass (dead).

Rio Nugget sped over 800 metres on the plough in 48.4, the last 600 in 35.6 and looked to be travelling strongly at the finish. The Captain Rio mare has improved a lot since her fresh up run over 1200 metres at Hastings on October 1.

Hackensack and Adventador, two other entrants for Saturday’s Masterton meeting at Tauherenikau, also hit out well when working together over 1100 metres on the plough. They were timed to run home the last 800 in 50.4 and final 600 in 37.6.

Adventador went a good race for second in his race debut over 1200 metres at Woodville on Labour Day and will be stepped up to 1400 metres on Saturday.

Firekeeper, a likely runner in the Rating 65 2050-metre race at Tauherenikau, worked on his own over 1000 metres in 1:6.6, the last 600 in 37.2. He finished fifth over 2000 metres at Gisborne last start.

Jamaa and Hempstead worked together over 1000 metres on the grass in 1:6.6, the last 600 in 37 while a Perfectly Ready three-year-old gelding in the Lowry/Cullen stable ran an easy 1000 metres on the plough in 1:9.9, the last 600 in 39.3.

A Stravinsky four-year-old mare, also in the Lowry/Cullen stable, worked in from the 1000-metre peg on the plough and was timed to run the last 800 in 52.3 and final 600 in 38.5.

Rhodan was not doing much more than three-quarter pace over 1000 metres on the plough, the last 600 in 42.6 while a Storm Creek filly in James Bridge’s stable ran an easy 600 metres on the plough in 42.6.

Randy Andy and a Postponed-Mal three-year-old gelding, both trained by Guy Lowry and Grant Cullen, were restricted to 800 metres at three-quarter pace, the last 600 in 43.9. They both look in the early stages of a new preparation.