It’s been a long and wet winter for Southland trainer Robert Dennis, and he is glad to be through the other side with spring racing on the doorstep.
"It is toiling work in the rain, the cold, the dark, and having to travel for a handful of races that we had through the winter," he said. "The team have done a good job through the winter putting in the hard yards, and I am hoping we can reap the rewards through the spring."
New Zealand Cup Week at Riccarton remains the primary objective for Dennis, and he is excited by a number of young prospects heading into spring.
"I am really looking forward to our crop of three-year-olds. We will have Matakana Perkynana and Great Time heading towards the Canterbury Belle (Listed, 1200m) next week," he said.
"We have a couple of nice Dennis Brothers-bred horses, The Blue Diamond and The Cool One, who seem to be progressing well and will look to have their first starts at Gore on Sunday 22nd (of September).
"I have a couple of nice two-year-olds that I bought from Karaka in the stable, and at this young age, the sky is the limit."
Dennis' focus is currently set on Wingatui's opening meeting of the season on Sunday, where he will line-up an eight-strong team, including Gr.3 Martin Collins New Zealand Cup (3200m) aspirants Loftys Gift and Sacred Dream.
Loftys Gift will be fresh-up in the KB Contractors (1600m) where she will jump from barrier eight, with apprentice jockey Donovan Cooper's three-kilogram claim bringing the six-year-old's allocated weight down to 57kg.
"Lofty's Gift had three weeks break after her last run at Ashburton and her campaign is all centred around trying to get to the New Zealand Cup," Dennis said.
"First-up over a mile, I certainly expect to see some improvement, but she is pretty well within herself, and I can see her fighting out the finish on the Heavy8 track."
Sacred Dream will also begin her path towards the New Zealand Cup in Sunday's Head To Trackside.co.nz (1200m) where she will be joined by stablemate Hasstobeyou.
"We had jump-outs cancelled down here with the wet weather of late, so she is going in fresh and will certainly take a lot of improvement from the run," Dennis said.
"She has got a handy enough fresh record from up north and she is pretty bright at the moment, so she could run a bold race too.
"Hasstobeyou is another that is first-up with no jump-out or trial, so will improve a lot. She gets down in weight with the claim. She is a runner and goes out wanting to race and tries her best, and with horses like that you are always a chance."
Bella Regazza will make her second appearance for the stable in the Property Brokers – Ray Kean (1200m), and Dennis is hoping to see an improvement from the mare who carries the silks of the TAB Racing Club.
"It was a head scratching run first-up at Riccarton on the synthetic. She was caught wide on speed, but really threw the towel in early and we are expecting a lot better," Dennis said.
"We took her home and gave her a short freshen-up at the farm and she has been back and working super, probably better than anything in the stable - she looks excellent.
"I have taken the gear off her and she finds a suitable track in that Heavy8 range. If she is going to front up and put in, she is going to be competitive, if not, I think she might be lacking a bit of motivation in her races."
The Waikato Stud-bred and raced Missoni will kick-off her spring preparation in the Speights (1200m), and Dennis believes she is a good chance of breaking through for her maiden win.
"She is fresh-up with no trial, but finds herself in a very inexperienced field," he said. "She is a mare with ability and will certainly improve with the run. Without a lot of exposed form, and quite a few first starters, you would have to think she would be a good chance."
Former northerner Vino Valentino will make her southern debut in the Positive Signs + Print (1600m), where she will be met by stablemate and last start placegetter Bella Rose.
"We have had Vino Valentino for three weeks," Dennis said. "She has a few quirks you have to be mindful of, but she seems to be going well. Hopefully we haven't rubbed the polish off her from up north because you would imagine on her last start she would be quite competitive.
"It was a good run from Bella Rose first-up, a better run second-up and she looks like she is building towards a win. She is doing everything right and will find a suitable Heavy track."
Stolen Magic will round out Dennis' team in the Entain/NZB Insurance Pearl Series (1200m).
"Stolen Magic had a head-scratching run at Oamaru," Dennis said. "I was expecting so much better from her off her work at home. Hopefully it was down to the track.
"We have taken the earmuffs and side winkers off and we will run her in no gear. She is bright and well and if she is going to front up she will be competitive.