Liguria’s Guineas hopes rest on Ellerslie outcome

Classic ambitions for quality filly Liguria (NZ) (Snitzel) will be determined by her performance at Ellerslie this weekend.

The Lance Noble-trained daughter of Snitzel will be on trial for higher southern honours when she lines up in the Gr.2 Windsor Park Stud Soliloquy Stakes (1400m).

Bred and raced by Cambridge Stud, Liguria holds a nomination for the Gr.1 Al Basti Equiworld Dubai New Zealand 1000 Guineas (1600m) and Saturday will present a key challenge for the three-year-old.

“This will dictate whether we go to Christchurch or not, she’s bred to be a speed horse, and I’ve got a little doubt in my mind if she will get a mile,” Noble said.

“We’ll be a lot wiser after Saturday and if she happened to win, and win well hitting the line strongly, then we’ll definitely be going.”

Liguria was tardily away when resuming in the Gr.3 Gold Trail Stakes (1200m) and overcame an interrupted passage to finish runner-up to Hawea.

“It was a top run, she got a bit further back than what would have been ideal, but I thought she ran terrific,” Noble said.

“It’s been a nice three weeks between races, which has been good for her, so we’re looking forward to it. Obviously, the winner is the benchmark at the moment, but Liguria is back at Ellerslie where she’s had a win, a second and a placing.”

Liguria raced exclusively at Ellerslie last season and off a debut second, was successful in the Gr.3 Colin Jillings Stakes (1200m), and was put aside after finishing second to champion juvenile Lara Antipova in the Gr.1 Sistema Stakes (1200m).

Noble will also be represented in the rescheduled Gr.3 Sweynesse Stakes (1215m) by last season’s Gr.1 Otaki Maori WFA Classic (1600m) winner Jaarffi.

The Iffraaj seven-year-old hasn’t raced since she ran fourth in the Gr.1 Bonecrusher New Zealand Stakes (2000m), and has trialled well ahead of her return.

“She’s great and I am very, very happy with her. Obviously, it wasn’t ideal taking her all the way to Rotorua but in saying that she would have had a gallop at home if she hadn’t gone to the races,” Noble said.

“If there’s any upside to not having the race at Rotorua, it’s that it’s at Ellerslie and she loves it there.

“Being so highly rated, weight-for-age is her best option so there’s the Auckland Thoroughbred Breeders (Gr.2, 1400m) in a month’s time and the Zabeel Classic (Gr.1, 2000m), we would really love to go one better in that this time.”

Jaarffi ran third in the Pukekohe event last year before finishing runner-up in the Zabeel.

Meanwhile, promising staying mare Mollify will open her spring campaign in the Horizon By SkyCity Handicap (1400m).

“She has come back stronger and went through the grades well last time, she’s very well but 1400m might be a bit short,” Noble said.

“We’ve got high expectations of her and we’ll try to get to the Counties Cup (Gr.3, 2100m), that’s her first goal.”

State Of Valour will take a step back in class to contest the Race Images Maiden (1200m) off the back of a fourth in the Listed Sir Colin Meads Trophy (1200m).

“He didn’t have a big break between two and three, and he looks a lot better now, he’s had a freshen-up and back to a maiden we’re hoping for a big improvement,” Noble said.

The stable’s other runner is Showgirl, who was fourth on the Cambridge synthetic in her only appearance, and she will contest the Yourride (1400m).

“I quite like her and it’s not always easy for three-year-old fillies against older horses, but her trial at Ellerslie was very good and I think she’s got a decent race in her,” Noble said.