Kingsclere favoured to retain Vinery crown

[Wandering Eyes]

Cambridge’s Kingsclere Stables is in for a busy trans-Tasman weekend, headlined by their glamour filly Orchestral tackling the Gr.1 Vinery Stud Stakes (2000m) at Rosehill on Saturday.

The Kiwi raider took out last year’s edition with Prowess, and Orchestral has quickly taken up the mantle of New Zealand’s best filly and is rated a $1.60 favourite with TAB bookmakers to give trainers Roger James and Robert Wellwood their second successive win in the Sydney feature.

The daughter of Savabeel has been a revelation for the Cambridge-based horsemen this year, winning all four of her starts, including the $1.5 million Karaka Millions 3YO (1600m), Gr.2 Avondale Guineas (2100m), and became the first filly to win the Gr.1 New Zealand Derby (2400m) since Habibi in 2013.

James and Wellwood have elected to press on for a Sydney campaign with Orchestral, who arrived on Tuesday in fine fettle ahead of her weekend assignment.

“She arrived at Randwick at about 10pm last (Tuesday) night and she seems to have settled in nicely. She had a quiet canter this morning and seems bright and well,” Wellwood said.

“She has proven herself back home and it is good for the sport of racing to come across and go up against some of the best three-year-olds (in Australia). It is also very valuable for her pedigree if she can get some black-type there.

“She has been very impressive in her last three starts and people have certainly noticed her, so hopefully she come here and show the Aussies how it’s done.”

Orchestral has drawn barrier two for Saturday’s fillies feature where she will be reunited with expat Kiwi hoop James McDonald, who partnered her to victory in the Karaka Millions 3YO and compared her to fellow New Zealand Derby-winning filly Silent Achiever post-race.

While a target is clearly on their back this weekend, Wellwood said they are taking it in their stride and are hopeful to make it back-to-back victories in the race.

“It is great to win any race in Australia, let alone a Group One, so we would be pretty happy if we could come over and do it two years in a row,” he said.

“It has come up quite a strong race this time round, probably stronger than Prowess’ edition, so she is going to have to be on top of her game to be winning but we think we have got her in the right order.”

The stable will also be represented at Flemington on Saturday by last start Gr.2 Auckland Cup (3200m) placegetter Mark Twain in the Listed Roy Higgins (2600m).

The son of Shocking will be ridden by Michael Dee from gate 13 and Wellwood said he will appreciate the step back to 2600m.

“He arrives at Flemington this (Wednesday) afternoon,” Wellwood said. “I have been really happy with him and it suits him to get back to 2600m, he just tried to pull a little too hard in the Auckland Cup. Hopefully he can get a soft run.”

Meanwhile, back home in New Zealand, the stable will head to Ellerslie on Saturday where they will line-up Achieve in the Elsdon Park 2200 and last start winner Hasstobeperfect in the SkyCity Horizon 1600.

“Achieve is an honest mare,” Wellwood said. “It has come up a reasonably strong field, as you would expect for a (rating) 75 race, hopefully if she goes well here we can continue down to the Hawke’s Bay Cup (Listed, 2200m) and have a go at black-type.

“Hasstobeperfect is a mare who has always shown good ability and it was nice to see her put it all together last start. We have been happy with her since then and it would be good to see her do it at headquarters.”

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