Falcons Reach might be shy of a gallop, but she is still expected to give a solid account of herself at Wanganui on Thursday.

The Road To Rock mare will be making her first appearance since March when she runs in the New Zealand Bloodstock Pearl Series Race.

“After she won her last start at Tauherenikau she knocked herself and got a haematoma, which then got infected so she had to have a month off,” Opaki owner-trainer Roger Allen said.

“She’s all good now and she galloped well yesterday morning, she doesn’t mind sticky tracks.

“She might need a run, but I think she’ll be up for the fight.”

The winner of three of her 18 starts, Falcons Reach will be ridden by the in-form three kilo claiming apprentice Kate Cowan.

Another fresh runner from the stable at Wanganui will be Zip Zap, who will return to racing in the New Zealand Bloodstock Pearl Series Race for the maiden gallopers.

“Some friends bought her off gavelhouse, she was with Te Akau,” Allen said. “They bought her as a broodmare, but she’s only a three-year-old so I said why not have a go with her.”

A half-sister by Stravinsky to two winners, Zip Zap is from the family of the multiple Australian Group One winner Grand Armee.

“She’s a big, strong filly, but she can be very nervy,” Allen said. “I’ve only had her six or eight weeks so we’re still getting to know her and we’ll just see how she goes.”