Mike Breslin has two genuine winning chances at Tauranga on a day when he dispatches another member of his stable to Australia.
The Awapuni trainer will be represented by Salamanca and Mighty Matt at the northern venue on Saturday and later in the evening the progressive Ringo will be on a flight to Melbourne.
Ringo will make his Australian debut at Flemington on June 28 in a heat of the Winter Championship series in the hope of earning a place in the $A150,000 final in early July.
The winner of five of his 10 starts, the Fastnet Rock four-year-old was successful when resuming under 59kg in a Rating 85 event last month.
“He’s improved a lot and he wasn’t entirely happy on the track at Wanganui,” Breslin said. “He’s got a great second-up record - he’s never been beaten - and it’s a big step up and a learning curve for everyone, but I wouldn’t be sending him over if I didn’t think he was up to it.”
On the domestic front on Saturday, Salamanca has two recent second placings to back his claims in the Zest 3YO.
“This will be his last run this campaign and he’ll have three or four weeks off and then get him back for the spring,” Breslin said.
Salamanca beat all but the highly-regarded Adepto when resuming at Wanganui and then finished off stoutly at Wanganui behind Unbelieveabelle after being caught three deep from a wide gate.
Mighty Matt also finished runner-up last time out at Trentham and he has a feature winter target ahead of him.
“His main aim is the Opunake Cup, that’s the race he’s been set for,” Breslin said.
Mighty Matt is also an outside chance to go to Riccarton for the Gr.3 Estaronline Winter Cup at Riccarton in August. “Possibly, but he’s yet to tell me can run out a strong mile,” Breslin said.
