Northern targets beckon Millar’s stable stars
Janelle Millar will be clocking up the miles with two members of her stable in the coming weeks.
The New Plymouth trainer will be making multiple trips north with the well-performed duo of Special Sakura (NZ) (Staphanos) and Final Return (NZ) (Reliable Man), starting with the former who runs in Saturday’s Gr.3 Sweynesse Stakes (1215m) at Ellerslie.
Special Sakura has been freshened since she produced a bold first-up performance to finish seventh, and less than two and a-half lengths off star galloper Waitak (NZ) (Proisir), in the Gr.1 Howden Insurance Mile (1600m) at Hastings.
“It was a super run fresh-up and I wasn’t sure I would get her there, but she had been working so well that we thought we’d have a crack,” Millar said.
“I thought she was fantastic and if she’d had a race under her belt then I think she would have been right on top of them.”
The Staphanos mare was given time off after Hastings and has done everything right ahead of her weekend challenge.
“Because I did put quite a bit of pressure on her to get to the mile, she went out for a week afterwards to freshen her up for Saturday,” Millar said.
“The draw (9) might not suit her, but it might be a good thing as I’d like to see her ridden back a bit and she has got an amazing turn of foot.”
She is owned by breeder and race sponsor Luigi Muollo, who stands her sire and Sweynesse at his Novara Park operation.
Special Sakura has been patiently handled with three wins from 13 starts, including success in last season’s Listed Fulton Family Stakes (1500m) and finished runner-up in the Gr.1 New Zealand Thoroughbred Breeders’ Stakes (1600m).
Safely through Saturday, the five-year-old will head toward the Gr.2 Dunstan Horsefeeds Auckland Thoroughbred Breeders’ Stakes (1400m) at Pukekohe Park on November 21.
Stablemate Final Return also has northern targets in his sights and trialled well ahead of his upcoming spring opener.
“He’s going up to Auckland on Saturday week for an open mile and then he’ll go back up there on Melbourne Cup Day for the Balmerino Stakes (Gr.3, 2000m),” Millar said.
“We’ll have to put up with all the travelling, but that’s where the money is.”
Final Return’s road trips were lucrative last preparation, with the son of Reliable Man posting victories at Group Three level in the Avondale Cup (2400m) and Counties Cup (2100m), and was a gallant fourth in the Gr.2 Auckland Cup (3200m).
Meanwhile, a progressive younger member of the stable won’t be seen out until next year.
“Skattebo’s still out in the paddock, we thought we had him sold but it fell through, so we’ll get him ready for the autumn,” Millar said.
Skattebo (NZ) (Nadeem) has won four of his six starts, including his last two at Waverley and Otaki.
