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Back In Black will take his first step toward a Group One target when he resumes on Wednesday.
The nine-year-old will return to racing in the Hooker Pacific Stratford Cup at Te Kapua Park with part-owner and trainer John Steffert keen to make full use of the veteran’s versatility next year.
“The Auckland Cup is the plan and then he might be going to Australia for the jump racing there in April,” he said.“They’ve got to be fit when they get there and I’ve already had a call from Kevin Myers about it and if everything goes well we’ll be looking at Warrnambool.”
The winner of four of his seven hurdle starts in New Zealand, Back In Black is no stranger to Australia either with two previous trips netting him placings in the Gr.3 Geelong Cup and a Kyneton Cup second.“He’s just a very good racehorse and he’s run well over there in some big races,” Steffert said.
Back In Black won at Matamata during his spring campaign on the flat and hasn’t raced since he was eighth behind Soriano in the Listed Rotorua Plate.“His work has been good and he’s looking well,” Steffert said.
Dubai Belle has hit a consistent patch of form with runner-up finishes in the Listed Wanganui Cup and the Gr.3 Manawatu Cup and was also second between times in the cup prelude at Awapuni. An easing of the track will boost her chances.The Myers-trained Likeapins was an unlucky fifth at Wanganui before she finished seventh in the Awapuni feature. She will appreciate the step down in class, as will Deliciano who finished one place behind Likeapins in the Manawatu Cup after an interrupted run.