Racing: Hail continues on his ambitious comeback trail

Woodville trainer Stephen Marsh has group one ambitions for Hail.

It is three years since Hail last won at that level. He's now eight and has bowed a tendon.

But that has not prevented Marsh from eyeing the $100,000 weight-for-age International Stakes (2000m) at Te Rapa on February 11 as Hail's return to group one racing.

Tomorrow Hail has his second race on the comeback trail in the $25,000 Woodville-Pahiatua Cup (1600m) and a third could be the $40,000 Anniversary Handicap (1600m) at Trentham on January 21.

Marsh said those races would determine if he is on track for the International Stakes.

"And if everything's 110 per cent he'll go to Te Rapa," Marsh said yesterday. "He's going to carry 60kg in his next two races, then he'll drop back to weight-for-age with 58kg, which should play into his hands a bit."

Hail has won two group one races, both at Ellerslie. The last was in the 2003 Zabeel Classic (2000m) while the first came in the 2000 New Zealand Derby (2400m).

The Stark South gelding had his first race in 20 months when fifth of eight runners in the Manawatu Challenge Stakes (1400m) at Awapuni on December 17.

He was more than 12 lengths from the winner Kristov at the finish but Marsh was not disappointed because of the slow track conditions.

"When he came in, he wasn't even blowing," Marsh said.

"He didn't try overly hard. Nowadays he looks after himself when the track doesn't suit."

Marsh said a subsequent scan of the horse's front legs to check all was well with his tendons came up clear.

"We have had his legs scanned since his last race and you wouldn't know the good tendon from the bad tendon," he said.

Hail's opposition tomorrow is not strong and Marsh believes the horse's class should take him close as long as the track is in good order.

"I think he can run in the first three. He said a win would not be beyond Hail. "It would not surprise me at all, but I'm certainly not expecting it."

- NZPA