Hoorang

NZ.

Durable mare Hoorang's Melbourne Cup campaign gained a lift when she beat a handy field over 2000m at Hastings yesterday.

Her trainer, Wanganui vet Ian Shaw, was inquiring into bookings to Melbourne today, but said it looked as if she would head over in the first week of October.

He had not nominated her for the $1.2 million Kelt Stakes at Hastings on October 3, and said the $45,000 late nomination fee ruled out any second thoughts on that front.

Hoorang is nominated for both the Caulfield and Melbourne cups, but Shaw said he wouldn't be worried if, as seemed likely, she failed to make the Caulfield Cup field.

"She is pushing it to get in, but it's an on-pacers' track and the turns are a bit tight. It might not suit her as much as Flemington, where the long straight is better for her," he told NZPA today.

Hoorang is 57th in the order of entry for the Melbourne Cup and would need to win a penalty-bearing race to have a chance of making the field.

Shaw said he would look for suitable races to try to get her in the field, including the Saab Quality (2500m) three days before the cup, where the winner is exempt from the cup ballot.

Hoorang, who won the New Zealand Cup at Riccarton in November, powered home down the outside yesterday, to win by three-quarters of a length from Halls, who flew late to cut Harris Tweed out of third, with New Zealand Oaks winner Jungle Rocket running on well for fourth.

Hoorang had benefited from increased fast work at training and a tongue tie yesterday, Shaw said.