Tony Kaye believes fate has played a hand in Iamishwara contesting Saturday’s Gr.2 Kamada Park Manawatu Challenge Stakes at Awapuni.

The Palmerston North horseman had considered a start in the race for his Group One winner, but his primary focus this week was on the stable star’s performance at the trials on Tuesday.

“We had contemplated it, but the nominations closed at 12 o’clock and we wanted to see how he went at Foxton first and his trial wasn’t until after 1 o’clock,” Kaye said.

Iamishwara, who hasn’t raced for 19 months following a tendon injury, duly won his open 1000 metre heat.

“Everything panned out nicely for him and when we got home we saw that they had left the nominations open so it was all meant to be,” said Kaye, who races the son of Keeninsky with his wife Nicola.

“He’s come through the trial really well. To be honest, he’s better now than he’s ever been.

“He’s an amazing horse and he’s put on weight and grown. He can be hard to have around the place though, when he hears a float pull up he thinks it’s time for him to rock and roll.”

Iamishwara, who was ridden at the trials by Leah Hemi, will be partnered on Saturday by Masa Tanaka.

“Leah rode him perfectly, but unfortunately she already had a ride (La Fille En Jeu) and Masa has ridden for us before,” Kaye said.

“We’re going to take it a race at a time really and see what happens. We would have to be looking at weight-for-age races from now on.”

Although a summer programme has yet to be locked in, one race that will be on the radar is the Gr.1 Haunui Farm Classic at Otaki in February. Iamishwara won the weight-for-age feature in 2015 before he also claimed the Gr.2 Awapuni Gold Cup.