Birdy "not out of the equation" at Ashburton today

25 March 2026 , Punters Info

By Dave Di Somma, Harness News Desk

More than six months after her last race-day appearance Birdy will make her return at Ashburton today.

The Royal Aspirations mare showed plenty of ability with two wins and three placings in six starts as a four-year-old in 2025 but then things took a turn for the worse.

"We have spent a lot of time trying to iron out her problems," says trainer and part-owner Laura McKay.

"After she raced last year during the winter she had a break and then started to tie up badly."

For the past few months McKay has been working hard to get her healthy and fit.

"We have been getting her into a routine with lots of strong work," says McKay, "and she's grain-free, no oats."

McKay believes the perseverance is starting to pay off, with Birdy winning a trial at Rangiora a week or so ago.

"I thought she might need a couple of trials but she went better than I thought and she's come out of it really well and I saw this was a short distance race at 1700 metres and I thought it would suit her first up."

On the back of her trial form Birdy opened a $5.50 second favourite for Wilson House in Race 3, the Morrison Mitsubishi (Junior Drivers) Mobile Trot (3.38pm).

"She seems very good," says McKay, "and while she performed well last year I don't think we've seen the best of her yet."

Impressive last start winner Dynasty is the short-priced favourite ($2.05FF) so what are McKay's expectations going into this afternoon?

"She will need the run as she doesn't have peak race fitness," says McKay, "but she is top three for sure and it is not out of the equation that she can win."

All going well McKay is targeting December's Harness 5000 at Ashburton with her trotter. It's a meeting McKay wanted to get involved in last year before the tying-up issues made that just not possible.

McKay also lines up Bluey in Race 7, the Jackson Spreading Mobile Trot (5.59pm).

The Peak six-year-old is a two-race winner but has not showed any form for some time and is at a $46 quote in a race where the Cran and Chrissie Dalgety-trained The Merc is a $2.80 favourite.