An easy win at the recent Rangiora trials indicated NZ Horse of the Year contender Final Touch (NZ) is ready for the start of her spring campaign.

Co-trainer Karen Parsons was pleased with the effort of her Group 1 winning mare who is likely to race first-up in the Foxbridge Plate at Te Rapa on August 17.

“She has pulled up well and is getting ready for the Hawkes Bay Triple Crown,” said Parsons.  “At this time of the year it’s all about striking the right track conditions.  We haven’t had it too bad at this stage and she’s where we want her to be.”

Parsons and her husband John had several other team members on show at Rangiora with G1 placed mare Asavant (Zabeel) also winning her heat in good fashion.  “There’s a suitable race for her on the last day of Riccarton’s Grand National carnival,” Parsons said.  “She is another who needs a good track to show her best so we won’t be rushing her until the better weather arrives.”

Parsons noted that the majority of their team favoured the better tracks, a fact she puts down to beach training.  “We just don’t seem to have any real mudders these days,” she said.  “Once they have spent time on the beach they don’t seem to like the bad tracks.  We need the tracks to dry out before we get back into full swing for the new season.”