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Gerard pair please in opening trials
Joshua Smith, LOVERACING.NZ News Desk • August 4th, 2026 4:20 pm
Romanoff (inside) and Affirmative Action quinellaed last year's Gr.1 New Zealand 2000 Guineas (1600m) | Photo: Race Images South
Romanoff and Affirmative Action gave trainer Pam Gerard a dream result when they quinellaed the Gr.1 New Zealand 2000 Guineas (1600m) at Riccarton last year, and the Matamata horsewoman is hoping they can have another successful spring preparation.
They both had their first public hit-out of the season at the Te Rapa trials on Tuesday where Affirmative Action comfortably won his 1100m heat, while Romanoff was strong late to finish runner-up behind Dusty Road in his heat over the same distance.
Gerard has been happy with the way Affirmative Action has been building into his spring preparation, with Tuesday’s trial a pleasing first-up outing as he heads towards next month’s Gr.1 Proisir Plate (1400m) at Ellerslie.
“He has come back bigger and more bullish, and mentally a little bit stronger,” Gerard said. “He had a pretty big season that probably caught up with him towards the end of the season, and he has had a nice spell, probably the first really good spell that he has had.
“I thought it was a nice trial from him today, he did it very easily. He is heading in the right direction.
“We will have a nom in for the Proisir Plate for Affirmative Action. We will just see how it comes up and ratings wise whether we are going to get in or not, I think it is going to be quite strong.
“We do have a Plan B where we can try and get his confidence back, but we will see how he pulls up over the next few days. It was pretty heavy out there today, so hopefully it hasn’t taken its toll too much.
“We will be targeting a few of the bigger races through the season and hopefully pick something up.”
Gerard was also pleased with what she saw from Romanoff and said he will be kept for the last two legs of the Spring Triple Crown at Hastings – the Gr.1 Howden Insurance Mile (1600m) and Gr.1 Livamol Classic (2040m).
“He was out the back and running home, and I thought he did that well,” Gerard said. “I feel he is probably looking for a little more distance, he gave me the impression today that the further he goes the better he will get.
“He will have a nice 1400m lead-up race into the mile at Hastings. I think Hastings is the right sort of track for him back left-handed. That (mile) is more up his alley, I think they will be pretty quick at Auckland in the first one (Proisir Plate).”
Meanwhile, stablemate Papparazzi came from last to first to take out his 1100m heat on Tuesday, and Gerard believes the four-year-old son of Savabeel could be in for a nice preparation.
“He showed us a lot last year but couldn’t get it right on raceday,” Gerard said. “He was pretty babyish and hadn’t furnished.
“He has gone out and had a nice spell, and we rode him nice and quietly today, gave him his chance and asked him for a little bit of effort and he did it very easily.
“Hopefully this time when he goes to the races he can put it all together for the owners. We will kick him off over 1400m in the next two or three weeks, but it will be weather dependent.”
Gerard was also pleased with the debut trial of three-year-old filly Niccita, who finished third in her 900m heat.
“She is such a professional little filly,” Gerard said. “It was her first trial out there today and she went really nicely.
“Everything is effortless for her. She doesn’t give a lot away in her work, she is off the bridle, is very quiet and does what she has to. She showed a really good turn of foot in the last 50m and I was pretty happy with her.”
Gerard has won the last two editions of the New Zealand 2000 Guineas with Savaglee and Romanoff, and she said she may have a contender to make it a third.
“We have a nice gelding called Samurai Sword, which we scratched the other day from a wide draw,” she said. “Maybe keep an eye on him, I think he has got the ability to be there, the mile is really going to suit him.
“He is just quite not furnished there mentally yet but hopefully if we take him quietly we can get him to go in the right direction and hopefully get him down there.”
