Less travel time to suit Group One hope Tomodachi
Tomodachi’s connections are banking on a target closer to home to bring out the best in the gifted mare on Saturday.
While she wasn’t disgraced when a resuming fourth in the Gr.1 Telegraph (1200m), more was expected and she gets an opportunity to bounce back in the Gr.1 BCD Group Sprint (1400m) at Te Rapa.
“We thought she would be more competitive,” said Andrew Scott, who trains the Sir Peter Vela-bred and raced five-year-old with Lance O’Sullivan.
“We just didn’t think she travelled down as well as we would have hoped and we’ve seen her better in condition on race day.
“She hasn’t got that travel complication this weekend and that heartens us for a more competitive performance.”
Tomodachi is a winner on the course and will be reunited with Joe Doyle, whose past race day rides on Tarzino’s daughter resulted in victory in the Gr.3 Rotorua Stakes (1400m) and third in the Gr.1 Proisir Plate (1400m) last spring.
“She has worked to her normal high standards and certainly brightened up after a quiet week post-Wellington,” Scott said.
“She’s in good condition and 1400m doesn’t hold any fears for us, the strength of the field does but she has won around Te Rapa before
“She’ll have to turn in a personal best to be right among it, but we know she’s got a good load of talent when things go her way.”
The stable will also be represented in black type features on Saturday by Ohope Wins (Gr.2 David & Karyn Ellis Fillies’ Classic, 2100m) and Yamato Satona (Gr.2 Legacy Lodge Waikato Guineas (2000m).
The former pressed her Gr.1 Al Basti Equiworld Dubai New Zealand Oaks (2400m) claims with a hollow last start win under Saturday’s rider Doyle in the Gr.2 Sir Patrick Hogan Stakes (2000m).
“She stayed well on January 1 and we had high hopes of her once she got out in trip, so that was pleasing to see and the way she relaxed in her first attempt over ground,” Scott said.
“She was always going to have a bit of a gap between runs, and she had a trial here at Matamata with the blinkers on for the first time.
“Joe got off and said she was a little more focussed and worked her again on Tuesday morning and was very pleased, that has given us confidence but she does need to bring it up another level as the field is stronger.”
The Gr.1 Trackside New Zealand Derby (2400m) nominee Yamato Sonata is another top mount for Doyle after an encouraging third in the Listed Gingernuts Salver (2100m).
“He’s getting better with racing for sure and he relaxed well at Ellerslie in a wee bit of a leader dominated race,” Scott said.
“He closed well wide on the track and gave us confidence that he has a staying future. He’s another who has worked well since and is a focussed and sound colt.”
Among the stable’s other leading Te Rapa chances are Crackercol (Peter Kelly-Bayleys, 2100m) and Track Tester (Horses @ Henley Park, 1200m).
“Crackercol is racing well and his form looks good after he ran seventh last start and the winner of the Wellington Cup (Manzor Blue) ran sixth,” Scott said.
“He probably just got in a bit that day when the bias was out wider at Wellington and he has trained on well.
“Track Tester won well last time and probably hasn’t drawn that favourably but is a horse that we think can get to a good level.”
The stable duo of Tristar and Hankee Alpha are also in good form for the Dr John Southworth Memorial (1200m) but will also need some luck from tricky barriers.
“Both have drawn awkwardly but they are going well and are progressive mares. They will need a bit of pressure in the race to be able to run on, but we couldn’t be happier with the pair of them,” Scott said.
