Queensland In Mix For Love Affair

Love Affair was back in action at the Te Awamutu trials on Tuesday, but no set plans have been made for the Group Two placegetter.

After winning four of her first five starts, Love Affair chased home stablemate Lizzie L’Amour in the Gr.2 Cal Isuzu Stakes (1600m) at Te Rapa last December then headed to Trentham for the Gr.1 Harcourts Thorndon Mile, in which she finished second-last.

Freshened since that Trentham failure on a dead4 track, Love Affair encountered a heavy10 surface at the Te Awamutu trials when contesting an open 850-metre heat.

Ridden as usual by Matt Cameron, the Savabeel four-year-old was second-last and wide on settling, sent forward to midfield at the 400 metres and wide out straightening for the run home. She was then let run to the line under her own steam and wound up fifth of the nine runners.

“The track was too wet for her, but she needed a run,” said co-trainer Murray Baker. “She’s a quality mare and we’ve got to work out where to go with her. Queensland is an option, but nothing has been decided.”

Later on the trials programme, stablemate Grand Rio and Crafty Jess showed they are coming up well when first and second in their respective 1150-metre heats.

Grand Rio worked through the grades in good style last winter with four wins, the first of them by 15 lengths over 1400 metres at Rotorua, while Crafty Jess also won four last winter, the latest being a rating 85 1600 at Ellerslie when overcoming a rocky run, including clipping heels across the top bend.

– NZ Racing Desk

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