Guy Lowry, a local trainer, made a strong showing against some of the country's top stables on the opening day of the Hawke's Bay Spring Carnival earlier this month.
He's aiming for continued success at Hastings this Saturday, even though he'll be without the promising up-and-comer Jimmysstar.
On Tarzino Trophy Day, Lowry secured a win and two placings. Jimmysstar emerged as the star, claiming victory and marking his second win in a three-start career.
However, Jimmysstar's future now lies across the Tasman, as he is set to join Ciaron Maher and David Eustace in Australia. Lowry expressed his excitement about Jimmysstar's potential, saying, “I think he's a pretty exciting horse. It's hard to get rid of a horse like him.”
Despite Jimmysstar's departure, Lowry will still saddle three runners on the middle day of the carnival.
One of the promising contenders is The Stoney One, a Pierro gelding with a record of two wins and seven placings in 11 starts.
Lowry believes The Stoney One will be competitive in his targeted race and isn't concerned about the underfoot conditions, expecting the track to improve from a Heavy 10 rating.
Stablemate Gohugo has shown consistent form, with a maiden win in April and four consecutive placings since. Lowry sees potential in Gohugo and thinks he deserves another chance, even though he's dropping back in distance.
Another horse to watch in the Lowry team is Belcamina, a daughter of Savabeel and Group One performer Eleonora.
While her recent races over shorter distances haven't been remarkable, Lowry believes she's been looking for more ground and expects her to be more competitive in her upcoming race. He mentioned that the New Zealand Cup over 3200m is a potential target for her in the future.