Kiwi pair chasing spring riches for OTI
A pair of New Zealand-bred and formerly trained gallopers are keeping Australian spring ambitions alive for OTI Racing, with promising filly De Armas (NZ) (Ardrossan) chasing Group One honours at Caulfield on Saturday and King Pedro (NZ) (Eminent) eyeing a potential Melbourne Cup berth.
De Armas will line up in the Gr.1 Thousand Guineas (1600m) following an impressive runner-up finish in the Gr.1 Flight Stakes (1600m) at Randwick, while King Pedro has put himself back into Melbourne Cup calculations following an encouraging return at Rosehill last weekend.
The Chris Waller-trained De Armas has made an immediate impression since crossing the Tasman, producing a strong performance in the Flight Stakes at just her second Australian start.
The daughter of Ardrossan had won her first two starts in New Zealand as a juvenile, including the Listed Counties Challenge Stakes, before finishing fourth in the $1 million Karaka Millions 2YO.
Transferred to Waller for her three-year-old campaign, De Armas made her Australian debut over 1200m at Warwick Farm in late September, finishing fifth under 61kg.
Just ten days later, she stepped straight up to 1600m at Group One level and justified the ambitious placement with a fast-finishing second under Zac Lloyd, recording the second-fastest final 200m of the race.
She will now attempt to go one better in Saturday's Thousand Guineas, where she has drawn barrier seven in a field of 13 and will be ridden by William Pike.
Waller believes the filly is ready to produce her best performance third-up.
"She came through the Flight Stakes really well. Willie Pike rides and she has a slightly tricky draw but third up over a mile, she should be ready to peak," Waller said.
While De Armas is chasing an immediate Group One prize, fellow OTI representative King Pedro has revived hopes of securing a place in next month's Gr.1 Melbourne Cup (3200m).
The New Zealand-bred stayer made an encouraging return in last Saturday's Gr.2 Hill Stakes (1900m) at Rosehill, closing strongly from the rear of the field to finish fourth over a distance short of his best.
The performance was particularly pleasing for trainers John O'Shea and Tom Charlton, with a minor setback having previously disrupted King Pedro's spring preparation and cast doubt over his Melbourne Carnival prospects.
O'Shea was delighted with King Pedro's performance, believing the gelding had gone to a new level.
"A really pleasing performance. He's gone to a new level. Weight for age and he didn't have a lot of favours, but he ran really well," O'Shea said following Saturday's race.
The Randwick trainer was equally upbeat after assessing the gelding's recovery earlier this week.
"He's pulled up really well from his excellent performance on Saturday. He's so much more effective beyond 2000m and his fitness levels are more than enough for him to be stretching out further."
King Pedro is now being considered for the Gr.2 Moonee Valley Gold Cup (2500m) on October 24, a race that offers the winner a ballot exemption into the Melbourne Cup at Flemington on November 3. - NZ Racing Desk
Latta flying the Kiwi flag at Randwick
Everest Day at Randwick has become one of the centrepieces of the Australasian racing calendar, and Saturday’s edition will once again have plenty of Kiwi flavour, including the Lisa Latta-trained Platinum Pantheon (Hanseatic) in the A$1 million Listed Silver Eagle (1300m).
While New Zealand-bred sprinting sensation Ka Ying Rising (NZ) (Shamexpress) will headline the Kiwi contingent in the A$20 million The Everest (1200m), New Zealand racing fans will also be keeping a close eye on the Palmerston North galloper as he looks to build on his impressive run of form.
Platinum Pantheon has posted four consecutive runner-up results, all in Australia, and will look to go one better in the Silver Eagle on Saturday.
He has drawn barrier 12 and will be ridden by Zac Lloyd, who rode him a fortnight ago at Randwick.
“They have had a fair bit of rain so he has hopefully drawn in the right place,” said Latta, who will be trackside on Saturday.
“Zac went and galloped him on Tuesday morning and was rapt with the way he worked. It is good to have someone on him again who knows him.
“It is another step up, it is a very good field, but we will get a good line on where we are at with him.”
Platinum Pantheon is currently an equal fifth favourite for the race, alongside Night Agent (Brutal), at $13, in a market headed by Skyhook (Written Tycoon) at $3.
Back in New Zealand, Latta will also be seeking stakes success at Ellerslie, where Platinum Attack (Santos) is a $3 favourite for the Gr.3 Sweynesse Stakes (1215m), while Pinafore (NZ) (Pinatubo) will take on a strong line-up in the Gr.2 Windsor Park Stud Soliloquy Stakes (1400m).
Platinum Attack travelled to Rotorua last Sunday to contest the Group Three sprint, but Latta said he has taken no ill effects from the trip, and she is looking forward to lining up the multiple stakes winner at Ellerslie.
“He went to Rotorua the other day but doesn’t seem to have taken any harm from it,” she said. “He has worked really well, I am really happy with him, and it will be good to get him back to 1200m.”
While Pinafore was runner-up in the Listed Sir Colin Meads Trophy (1200m) at Hastings last month, she is unwanted by punters in the Soliloquy following her unplaced run in the Gr.3 Gold Trail Stakes (1200m), and is currently a $31 outsider in a market headed by Hawea (Hellbent) at $4.50.
Latta was pleased to draw barrier three earlier in the week, and Pinafore will be ridden by Jasmine Fawcett.
“She didn’t get all favours last start, so it’s good to get a decent draw up there,” Latta said.
Latta will also have a strong contingent at Otaki on Saturday and Waverley on Sunday, and has labelled Hoorah Henry (NZ) (Darci Brahma) and Bellass (NZ) (Time Test) as two of her leading chances at Otaki in the Harcourts Otaki Handicap (1400m) and Cavallo Farms & Chris Rutten Bloodstock Three-Year-Old (1200m) respectively.- Joshua Smith
Trav tracking towards NZ Cup
Raymond Connors has fond memories of the Gr.3 New Zealand Cup (3200m) and he is on a path to try and claim his third with his talented stayer Trav (NZ) (Almanzor).
The Bulls trainer won back-to-back editions of the Riccarton feature with Blood Brotha (NZ) (Danzighill) (2011 and 2012 when ridden by James McDonald and Lisa Allpress respectively), and he is eager to get his hands back on the coveted trophy.
“I have had some luck down there and it is a good raceday,” Connors said.
Trav is proven over two miles, having won last year’s Gr.2 Auckland Cup (3200m) at Ellerslie before embarking on a Melbourne Cup campaign in Australia last spring, and Connors is looking forward to getting him up over the trip once more.
“It (3200m) does seem to be his pet distance, he just needs a bit to go his way on the day,” he said.
The seven-year-old son of Almanzor resumed in pleasing fashion when third in the Egmont Cup (2100m) at Hawera a fortnight ago on a Heavy8 surface.
“I didn’t think he would go so well on the wet ground, but he went better than I thought,” Connors said.
Trav will take his next step towards the Martin Collins-sponsored New Zealand Cup when he heads to Waverley on Sunday to contest The Steelform Roofing Group Waverley Cup (2200m), where he will be ridden by Sarah Macnab from barrier two.
“He seems well so hopefully he will run another good race,” Connors said.
Trav will likely have one more run before crossing the Cook Strait next month, and Connors is resisting the temptation to line him up in the Listed Nautical Boat Insurance Metropolitan Trophy (2580m) on the first day of the New Zealand Cup Carnival.
“He will probably go the Feilding Cup (2100m at Otaki on October 31) after this and then into the New Zealand Cup. He won’t go to the Metrop,” Connors said.
“I would like to run in the Metrop, but I don’t think it will suit him. I think this horse seems to race a bit better fresher. I don’t think he backs up whereas Blood Brotha we took down for the Metrop and backed him up, which seemed to suit him. But this horse, I don’t think the week back-up suits him.”
All going well after the New Zealand Cup, Connors is keen to target the country’s two other two-mile features – the Gr.3 Wellington Cup (3200m) at Trentham in January and Gr.2 Auckland Cup (3200m) in March.
“It’s a big ask, but we will look at the three Cups,” Connors said. “We will just get through the New Zealand Cup, and the next logical one is the Wellington Cup, if he goes well. - Joshua Smith
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