Weekend racing with Iain Hyndman

Veteran Jacksstar (outer) has again hit form in timely fashion for big summer assignments. Photo / Race Images

Iain Hyndman's Awapuni Tips
1: Euka Lady, Malambo, Princess Rihanna
2: Pop Star Princess, The Mitigator, Shadow Fox
3: Lady Rudolph, Ozil, Credit Manager
4: Probabeel, Kick Start, Belle Plaisir
5: Hartley, Portland Jimmy, Skarloey
6: Du'blues, Shady Grey, Powerball
7: Beauden, Dezella, Soleseifei
8: Proletariat, Don't Know Jakk, Bonny Ezra
Best Bet: Proletariat (R8)

Veteran Jacksstar is a creature of habit traditionally hitting form at this time of year each season and his last run suggests nothing has changed.

The Zed eight-year-old came from well back in the field to run an excellent fourth, less than 6.5 lengths from Concert Hall in the Gr.3 Aberdeen On Broadway Manawatu Cup two days before Christmas.

The run, easily his best this time in, pleased trainer Gary Vile and gave him confidence the old boy was back in the right form to again target the Gr. 3 NZ Campus of Sport & Innovation Wellington Cup (3200m) on January 18.

"I was really happy with his run in the Manawatu Cup (2300m) on a track (Slow8) that didn't really suit him," Vile said.

As a younger horse and being by Zed, Jacksstar excelled on rain-affected ground, but Vile said as he got older and perhaps wiser, he far preferred the better surfaces.

Jacksstar will run in the Jacpac Homes Fasttrack $5k Marton Cup (2200m) at Awapuni tomorrow in his last race before the Wellington Cup. The track was rated a Dead5 yesterday morning, although fine weather and a slight breeze was expected to bring it back to a Good3 come raceday.

"This will be his last run before Wellington and he's been working very well since the Manawatu Cup. He comes to hand this time of year and I'm pretty pleased with him," Vile said.

"Beauden (topweight) will be extremely hard to beat, although he will have to carry all his weight (59kg) and we only have 53kg."

Trudy Thornton will replace Madan Singh for tomorrow's assignment.

Jacksstar simply loves his home track and has five wins and five placings from 20 starts at Awapuni.

Meanwhile, another who loves Awapuni is Foxton visitor Toms.

The David and Emma Haworth-trained Towkay gelding won the Listed Ricoh Feilding Gold Cup over this trip in November on Dead4 surface before ordinary performances in unsuitable conditions in the Waikato and Manawatu Cups at his most recent outings.

The Jaimee-Lee Lupton-trained Soleseifei is another on the way to a Wellington Cup assignment and will relish conditions tomorrow.