Bright future tipped for Rioja
Simon and Katrina Alexander have plenty of time for Cambridge Stud filly Rioja (NZ) (Almanzor), and she vindicated their early assessment with an eye-catching maiden victory at Matamata on Sunday.
The daughter of Almanzor had two prior starts, placing on debut over 1350m at Pukekohe last October before finishing runner-up when fresh-up over 1100m at Taupo last month.
She was duly backed into a $1.90 favourite in Sunday’s Kaimai Vets 1200, and lived up to her price, romping home to a four-length victory in the hands of jockey Warren Kennedy.
“It was nice to get the win under the filly’s belt because she is certainly capable, she has shown that all the way through, winning trials in a very similar style,” Katrina Alexander said.
“In her first run there was a little bit of greenness and Taupo was her first experience left-handed, so it was nice for her to be able to repeat left-handed yesterday and get the win.”
Next month’s Gr.3 Windsor Park Cambridge Breeders’ Stakes (1200m) looms as a potential target, but Alexander said they are in no rush with the filly and they will give her one more run before making any further plans.
“We will give her a few days to come through this,” she said. “Cambridge Stud have been brilliant to work with in the fact that they are very patient with her. They know their stallions and they know when they come right. They have said all along that the Almanzors do take until they are four usually, so they have never been in a rush for her to be anywhere in particular and I think we will go along that path still.
“I think she is worthy having plans made for her, I think she will cope with softening of the tracks as we head into the proper autumn and winter months. I don’t know how deep she would want it and I don’t know how deep I would want to run her on it.
“We will get another run into her and that will give a more realistic view of what she might head for.”
Alexander was also pleased with stablemate Calmthefarm’s (NZ) (Embellish) runner-up performance in the McFarlane Mile (NZB Mega Maiden Series) (1600m).
“That was quite an impressive run from a very green horse,” Alexander said. “She is a horse that hasn’t had a lot of left-handed experience and to run on from the back at Matamata yesterday was good.”
Meanwhile, Alexander said Aksil (NZ) (Ace High) is enjoying a spell following his unplaced run in the Gr.1 New Zealand Derby (2400m), while exciting gelding Rise Companions (Capitalist), who has won three of his five starts, including the Stella Artois 1500 Championship Final (1500m) at Ellerslie on Boxing Day, is having an extended spell after reaggravating a tendon injury.
“The Derby was always going to be his (Aksil’s) target and that didn’t go to plan with him,” Alexander said. “I am still adamant that the horse is going to take a bit of time to really furnish out and be a more solid and powerful individual.
“I don’t want to be in a rush to bring him in, I just want to see the horse furnish out. We will work with OTI (part-owner) and what they want to do, but at this stage he is enjoying a well-earned break.
“Rise Companions is on an indefinite spell. The owners just want to take their time with that (tendon injury), they are working with their vets. We will manage the time of year he ends up coming in so we don’t do any more damage when he does return to work."
