Briefs for 9 September 2014

Vinnie Eagle to return at Taupo;Maygrove sprints well at trials;Divan set for Flemington;Quality mare Zennista thriving

Vinnie Eagle to return at Taupo

A change of plans has seen Tony Pike delay the return of Vinnie Eagle.

“He was going to go to Ruakaka this Saturday, but I didn’t want to trial him on a heavy track at Avondale last week so we’ll probably run him in a Rating 75 1300m at Taupo on Wednesday week,” the Cambridge trainer said.

“From there he’ll go on to the Hawke’s Bay Guineas and go through the three-year-old series. We don’t know if he’ll stretch out to a mile yet and we’ll have a better idea after Hastings.”

Last season’s Gr.3 Eclipse Stakes winner was a smart winner of his open 950 metre trial at Cambridge on Tuesday.

Maygrove sprints well at trials

Promising stayer Maygrove was an unexpected winner of an open 1200 metre heat at Tuesday’s Cambridge trials.

“He’s coming up well and he took us by surprise a bit today without the hood on,” co-trainer Andrew Forsman said.

Maygrove was successful against the older horses over ground last season and hasn’t raced since he finished eighth in the Gr.1 New Zealand Derby.

“He’s nominated for the New Zealand Cup, but that’s pie in the sky stuff at this stage,” Forsman said.

“We’ll take him through the grades and if he could qualify for a race like that it would suit him perfectly.”

Divan set for Flemington

New Zealand-bred colt Divan is likely to make his next appearance in the $A120,000 Henry Bucks Stakes (1400m) at Flemington on Saturday.

The Oaks Stud-bred and sold son of Zabeel and Seachange is the joint second favourite for the $A1 million Gr.1 Caulfield Guineas (1600m) and he will clash with the current market leader Chivalry in this weekend’s Listed event.

A $500,000 Karaka yearling, Divan is trained by Robert Hickmott for the Williams family and the colt was spelled after he had run third on debut in the Listed Anzac Day Stakes at Flemington in the autumn.

He made an impressive return on the Lakeside course at Sandown last month when he over-raced at the back before powering to victory in a slowly-run race.

Quality mare Zennista thriving

Zennista has progressed well since her encouraging first-up effort in the Gr.1 Makfi Challenge Stakes at Hastings.

The multiple stakes winner and Group One performer got clear late at Hastings to finish eighth and two lengths from the winner I Do.

“She’ll head back there for the next one (the Gr.1 Windsor Park Plate) – she deserves a crack at that and then she’ll go to 2000 metres, which will suit ideally,” said trainer Lisa Latta, referring to the Gr.1 Livamol Classic on October 4.