Drops Of God building towards summer targets

Sam Bergerson has every reason to have a spring in his step, with Drops Of God, Getupoffathatthing, System Of Play and Lara Antipova among the headline acts in a bumper Te Akau team heading into the heart of the spring.

Multiple Group Three winner Drops Of God (NZ) (Hello Youmzain) took another encouraging step towards her return when finishing a strong second in an 1100m trial at Ellerslie on Tuesday, while exciting three-year-olds Getupoffathatthing and System Of Play are being aimed towards feature targets.

Across the Tasman, last season's New Zealand Champion Two-Year-Old Lara Antipova has already struck this spring, returning to winning form in Saturday's Listed Michael Moroney (1400m) at Flemington.

Drops Of God was given a patient ride in Tuesday's trial before finding the line strongly, and the daughter of Hello Youmzain is being brought along gradually with the Gr.1 Railway (1200m) at Ellerslie in January a longer-term target.

"She is building really nicely and has had a couple of trials now, just a really nice, slow, prolonged build-up heading back to the races," Bergerson said.

"There is an open 1200m at Te Rapa next Friday that could be a possible kick-off. Obviously the goal with her is to get a bit more black-type and we're working back from the Railway here (at Ellerslie) in January.

"Beyond next Friday she could go into something like the Legacy Lodge Sprint (Listed, 1200m) or the Counties Bowl (Gr.3, 1100m) and just continue through to the summer months. She seems to be coming up well and trialled really nicely today."

Bergerson said the patience of the Nearco team and Gordon Cunningham had allowed the stable to give Drops Of God plenty of time.

"Post her first trial she went out for 10 days in a good bout of fine weather and she really did well," he said.

"We've brought her in and out and kept a nice, slow build-up into her. She had a good blow today post-trial and is certainly going to improve again."

Getupoffathatthing (Farnan) is heading for a short break after making an immediate impression with his debut victory over 1100m at Taupo last Friday.

"He's a very exciting horse, but he has still got plenty of maturing and strengthening to do," Bergerson said.

"Hopefully we're through the worst of winter and he can get a bit of spring grass and sun on his back, put a bit more weight on and strengthen up. Something like the Almanzor Trophy (Gr.3, 1200m) is a race we can work back from.

"He couldn't have been more impressive first-up and I think he's going to continue to improve the more we do with him."

While Getupoffathatthing has looked a natural sprinter to date, Bergerson hopes he can eventually stretch his speed towards 1500m and the $4.5 million NZB Kiwi.

"From what we've seen at the trials and at Taupo, he's very fast and he is very sharp at home as well," he said.

"We'd love to step him out to something like The Kiwi over 1500m. That would be ideal, but there is obviously a lot of water to go under the bridge and plenty has to go right.

"I really liked the way that when he was asked, he quickened. We'd probably like to see him settle a little bit better initially, but we'll continue to work on that at home."

Stablemate System Of Play (Ole Kirk) remains on a path towards the Gr.1 Al Basti Equiworld Dubai 54th New Zealand 2000 Guineas (1600m) after being scratched from last Saturday's Listed Sir Colin Meads Trophy (1200m) at Hawke's Bay due to the heavy track.

He is likely to resume over 1400m at Ellerslie on Saturday, with a three-year-old 1200m at Te Rapa next Friday another option.

"With Ellerslie on the StrathAyr, hopefully we can get a good track and get away with the 1400m first-up. We think we've done enough work with him to do that," Bergerson said.

"He worked on the rail at Matamata this morning with Day One, who we think is a very progressive horse. His work was good and he recovered really well, so it's looking more than likely we'll be at Ellerslie on Saturday."

The Gr.2 Sarten Memorial (1400m) is expected to form part of System Of Play's path towards the New Zealand 2000 Guineas at Riccarton.

Meanwhile, Lara Antipova (Russian Revolution) has put herself firmly on a path towards the Gr.1 Thousand Guineas (1600m) at Caulfield following her Flemington victory, with the Gr.2 Edward Manifold Stakes (1600m) her likely next appearance.

"Mark was quietly confident coming into Saturday and really bullish that she had turned a corner and improved after that first-up run, where she had a few things go wrong," Bergerson said.

"She seems to have come through the run well and the beauty now is that she goes back to set weights and doesn't have to carry that penalty, potentially back against her own sex.

"It was really exciting to see her bounce back after a fantastic two-year-old year. She's certainly tracking the right way and it was a pretty decisive win carrying the penalty, which makes it all the better."