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Livamol Classic on the cards for Mauna Kea; Weekend double for Wallace;

Livamol Classic on the cards for Mauna Kea

Mauna Kea is being set on a path towards the Gr.1 Livamol Classic (2040m) at Hastings in October after picking up his seventh career win in the Vets On Riverbank at Otaki on Saturday.

It would be his second tilt at elite level, after finishing unplaced in the Gr.1 Captain Cook Stakes (1600m) last year.

The six-year-old son of Per Incanto has just had the one run further than a mile, finishing third in a 2060m race last year, and his trainer Paul Moseley thinks that's his ideal distance.

"The last start he had for (former trainer) Allan Sharrock was over 2060m in January last year and he ran third and that was his best race up until we got him," he said.

"We gave him a mile to give him a run under his belt, and he ran second, so he has stuck with it ever since. He is bred to go over ground, his grandmother won the Grand National."

While Mauna Kea holds nominations for the last two legs of the Hawke's Bay triple crown,  the Gr.1 Windsor Park Plate (1600m) and Livamol Classic, Mosely is leaning towards bypassing the Livamol Classic in favour of the Gr.3 Boehringer Ingelheim Metric Mile (1600m) at Awapuni next month.

"He'll go to Hastings next for an Open 1600m race on the 31st (of August)," he said. "We are looking at the Metric Mile and the Livamol Classic, which is over 2040m.

"That's our plan at this stage. We have got a nom for the Windsor Park, but we might just back off that one."

Weekend double for Wallace

Opaki trainer Jim Wallace had a perfect weekend, recording two wins from just two starts.

Five-year-old mare Showmeware kicked off proceedings by taking out the Aquashield Roofing (1200m) at Otaki on Saturday before Tipperary Mary won the Sportz Bar 2060 at Wanganui on Sunday.

Wallace was pleased with Showmeware's victory, her second from five career starts, and he said she benefits from rain-affected tracks.

"The filly at Otaki (Showmeware), she got conditions to suit her at Otaki," he said. "She is pretty handy and when it rained it probably slowed a couple of the others down and it didn't hurt her so much.

"It was still a good win and she did it very well.

"She had a few issues when she was younger and at this stage we will try and keep her on tracks with a bit of give in them."

Wallace thinks a lot of Showmeware and is eyeing a tilt at the Gr.3 Rich Hill Stud Taranaki Breeders (1400m) in October with the mare.

"There's a nice race on the first day at Hastings and down the track, if she continues and the rain continues, there is a black-type fillies and mares race at Hawera in early October."

Premiership winning jockey Lisa Allpress rode both mares to victory and Wallace was particularly impressed with her performance on Tipperary Mary at Wanganui on Sunday.

"I thought it was a superb piece of horsemanship by a very good rider," he said. "She knew where she was going and what she wanted to do and the horse was good enough on the day to do it.

"Tipperary Mary will now probably go to Hastings on the first day (of the Hawke's Bay Spring Carnival) over 2060m in a rating 65 race."