Racing: Querer ready to step up at Wingatui

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Early fears about Querer's ability to get over more ground appear to be unfounded heading into today's listed New Zealand Bloodstock Insurance Stakes at Wingatui.

The filly, trained at Balcairn by John and Karen Parsons, looked like an out-and-out sprinter when she started winning in the spring.

Karen Parsons said that was more by design than anything as they looked to get apprentice jockey Gosen Jogoo off to a winning start with Madam Bentley at Timaru on October 10.

"We set Madam Bentley up for a first-up go for him and he just let it get too flat," Parsons said.

"We said don't let that happen again, just get up there with your 4kg off, so he got her up there and went from there." Lesson learned, Jogoo sent Querer to the lead in her first four assignments, winning three and placing second in the other.

The Gore Guineas proved to be a forgettable run for the daughter of Captain Rio in the hands of jockey Lee Callaway after getting caught in an early speed duel, but she bounced back to run a bold second behind Another Coup in the Dunedin Guineas.

Madam Bentley gives the husband-and-wife team two chances in the 1400m feature, and Parsons believes the distance is ideal for the winner of three races.

She's always looked like she would be better, and she has been better, at 1400m - her maiden win was over 1400m.

"John said he had been a bit easy on her since Riccarton.

"She's not a bad filly when everything goes her way so hopefully she can put her best foot forward today].

"But you would have to lean towards the other filly."

Final Shinko makes his juvenile debut over 1100m but Parsons said his best would be on display in several months. "He's a nice horse and does everything right. Chris Johnson likes him but he'll be better as a 3-year-old. Whatever he does [today], he'll be better with time."

Parsons rates Locket in the open 1600m as the best of the team's other seven runners, despite a flat seventh at Riccarton on February 20.

"Don't ask me to explain Riccarton - the only thing is I had got kicked and I hadn't been riding her in work myself.

"But when I did get on her, she's still working beautifully, so we're at a loss to explain Riccarton.

"In saying that, last year she did the same thing when she had enough. But her work through the week was very good."