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John Bary has been a major player in the Hawke’s Bay Triple Crown series in recent seasons and he’s got high hopes of leading from the front again.
The Hastings trainer has made the most of his home turf advantage with his former glamour galloper Jimmy Choux going as close as any in 2011 to a clean sweep of the Group One features.
He finished runner-up to Mufhasa in the Makfi Challenge Stakes before dominating both the Windsor Park Plate and the Spring Classic.
Last year, Bary struck first blood with his former stable star Survived winning the Makfi and he also finished third in the Spring Classic.
This time around his early hopes will rest with the rising four-year-old Recite, who has been a Group One winner as juvenile (Manawatu Sires’ Produce Stakes) and at three this season (Levin Classic).
“The first two races definitely will fit in well for her and after that we’ll make a decision whether we step her up to 2000 metres for the last one,” Bary said.
Recite hasn’t raced since she was unplaced in the Gr.1 Queen of the Turf in Sydney and is now back in the stable, as is the emerging staying talent Miss Selby.
The Gr.1 New Zealand Oaks runner-up is likely to resume in a Rating 85 event on the first day of the Hastings carnival.
“We might target the last leg (Spring Classic) with her – she’ll be having a light spring,” Bary said.
Miss Selby made excellent progress this season and she won the Gr.3 Lowland Stakes before placing in the Trentham classic.
The O’Reilly filly made her final three-year-old appearance when a creditable seventh in the Gr.1 Australian Oaks at Randwick.