Promising filly primed for Te Rapa test
Joshua Smith • December 10th, 2025 4:13 PM • 3 min read
Promising filly Places To Be’s first two cracks at black-type didn’t go to plan, but trainer Kelly Van Dyk is hoping to get her preparation back on track in the Wentwood Grange 3YO (1200m) at Te Rapa on Saturday.
The three-year-old daughter of Hello Youmzain was impressive when winning by four lengths on debut at Taupō in September but ran out on the turn when looking ominous in the Gr.2 Soliloquy Stakes (1400m) at Ellerslie in October.
She took up her customary front-running role in the Listed The O’Leary’s Fillies Stakes (1340m) last start but faded late to finish fifth.
Van Dyk, who bred and races the filly in partnership with Ben Kwok, and bloodstock agent Bevan Smith, was happy enough with the run and expects to see plenty of improvement when dropping back to 1200m this weekend.
“I am really happy with her. She came through her last run really well at Wanganui. I just think she peaked on her run there,” she said.
“It was a few weeks between runs since Ellerslie, where we had a bit of a mishap there where she ran off (around the last bend). I just wanted to get her confidence back, back left-handed, and we were happy with her performance. I think back to the 1200m will be ideal on Saturday.”
Places To Be has drawn the outside gate in the eight-horse field, but Van Dyk said they don’t intend to deviate from her racing pattern.
“Matt Cameron will be riding her and he has been riding her in her trials,” Van Dyk said.
“She does like to go forward, but we certainly won’t be going all out for the lead. If there are other horses that want to take her on, they can, we won’t be getting into a war for the front.
“She jumps very well out of the gate and naturally she does want to go forward, and that is where she is happiest. We will be leaving it up to Matt, but ideally we won’t be changing tactics too much, but on the other hand, we won’t be fighting for the lead.”
Van Dyk has yet to nail down a summer plan for Places To Be, but said depending on how her filly performs this weekend, she could even head to the paddock for a break.
“We will see how she goes on Saturday before we make any firm plans. She could go to the paddock after that,” she said.
Stablemate Hit 'n' Run will head to Tauranga a day prior, where she has also drawn the outside barrier in the Rob Pinny Maiden 1200.
While disappointed in the barrier draw, Van Dyk is hoping a few gear changes will help her mare find some form.
“We haven’t had a good few days with barrier draws,” she said. “We have made a few key gear changes with her and would like to see a big improvement.
“We think we have sorted out her breathing issues in her races where we thought she was holding her breath a little bit. A tongue-tie and noseband go on, so that will be key to her hopefully improving off her poor form to date.
“She is a very good trackworker and she certainly worked the house down on Tuesday. We will be expecting her to show us something this time.”
Van Dyk is also busy preparing nine yearlings for next month’s New Zealand Bloodstock National Yearling Sale, where she is hoping to build on the strong momentum of last month’s Ready to Run Sale, with the highlight being selling a Written Tycoon colt to James Cummings for $775,000.
“We are excited to present another yearling draft off the back of a very successful Ready to Run Sale,” she said.
“We have got a really nice draft of nine horses. We have got some beautiful fillies in there. We have got a Per Incanto filly (lot 366) that we will sell on behalf of Duncan Fell, who I think is top-class.
“We have also got a Satono Aladdin filly (lot 321) that we pinhooked, and she is a very nice filly as well.
“We have got some very nice horses, and I think they should be popular.” – LOVERACING.NZ News Desk
