By John Schell
Arrowfield Stud trainers Paul Messara and Leah Gavranich and jockey Aaron Bullock will be the focus of attention at Tamworth on Tuesday when they combine with three well-bred, pre-post favourites.
Bullock has been booked to ride all three Messara and Gavranich-prepared gallopers, with Castelvecchio gelding Triti set to contest the WIN Network Country Boosted Maiden Handicap (1400m).
Leah Gavranich trains alongside Paul Messara.Credit: Getty Images
Triti is a three-year-old out of former handy Redoute’s Choice mare Mardi, and Messara said that while he shows ability, Tuesday’s event might be a race he needs for experience.
“He will definitely be improved by the run,” said Messara.
“He’s had a good grounding for his debut with three recent trials and four trials in total. I think he’ll be competitive and perform well, but he may just need the run under his belt before he shows his best.”
Peninsula will contest the Benson Excavation Super Maiden Handicap (1200m) with the three-year-old gelding being a son of Snitzel and out of Japanese-bred mare Presque Isle.
“He’s a nice horse and is ready to run well,” said Messara.
“He’s had two trials and Aaron [Bullock] has been on in both of them. He ran second in the first of them at Newcastle and then won the latest at Scone in good style. He looks promising and should be very hard to hold out.”
Florino is the third of the Messara-Gavranich runners, with the five-year-old gelding by Mikki Isle and out of Flowerchild lining up in the McDonalds Tamworth Benchmark 74 Handicap (1200m).
“Florino is a progressive horse that has won four of his nine starts and has another two seconds to his name,” Messara said.
“He has shown ability from the outset and won his first two starts at Muswelbrook and also won at Newcastle in his first racing preparation.
“He ran in a few Highway races in his second campaign and ran second at Randwick in one of them and then resumed with a win in the Denman Cup at Muswellbrook last month.
“He was midfield in the Barn Dance at Randwick last time out behind Gallant Star and will find the Tamworth race easier.”
