A nail may have scuppered her early summer targets, but Taranaki mare Hi Yo Sass Bomb is back and thriving for her run in the group 2 Thorndon Mile (1600m) at Trentham tomorrow.
The 7-year-old daughter of Complacent was in hot form over spring, winning the Grangewilliam Stud Breeders’ Stakes and Thompson Handicap in October.
Trainer and part-owner Kim Reid then set her sights towards elite-level targets, eyeing the Mufhasa Classic (1600m) at Trentham last month, but a stray nail thwarted those plans.
"She had a nail go into her foot the week prior to the Mufhasa, so that put us on the backburner for a little bit," Reid said.
"She had a couple of weeks out with that, so it was a bit of a rollercoaster ride."
Hi Yo Sass Bomb impressed in an exhibition gallop at her home track of New Plymouth a few weeks ago, giving Reid the confidence to press on towards the Thorndon.
"Chris [Dell] rode her there and was really happy with how she went," she said.
Reid gave her mare a strong hit-out at home on Sunday and feared she may have overtaxed her less than a week out from her resuming run, but said Hi Yo Sass Bomb had come through it well.
"We travelled down to Whanganui to gallop between races on Saturday, but we thought the track was a bit firm and we didn’t want to risk it.
"We galloped at New Plymouth on Sunday and I thought I might have flattened her. It was a pretty hard gallop, but she has been bouncing around this week, so I think she is right there."
TAB bookmakers have installed the mare as the $7 third-favourite behind group 1 winner Legarto ($3) and last-start group 2 winner Queen Zou ($5.50).
"I feel like she is flying," Reid said.
"I know it is a big ask heading straight back into a big one after such a big spell out, but she is pretty tough. I am expecting a nice run."
Reid has circled next month’s group 1 Herbie Dyke Stakes at Te Rapa as Hi Yo Sass Bomb’s next major target and felt the Thorndon was the perfect lead-in race, with her mare set to carry just 53kg, with Dell aboard. — LOVERACING.NZ News Desk
