Oaks-bound filly readying for Champions Day assignment

[Wandering Eyes]

Shaune Ritchie and Colm Murray are eyeing both of New Zealand’s feature three-year-old staying races in March and their Gr.1 Al Basti Equiworld Dubai New Zealand Oaks (2400m) contender Eye Candy (NZ) (Darci Brahma) appeared at the trials at Cambridge on Tuesday.

Eye Candy was a maiden winner at Ruakaka in mid-December, and after a tough run in the Listed Gingernuts Salver (2100m), she stamped her Oaks credentials with a game performance behind class filly Hinekaha in the Listed Oaks Prelude (1800m) at New Plymouth.

Mindful of keeping his filly up to the mark in the interim, Ritchie opted to head to the local course for an Open 1300m heat, where she was close-up in second behind Pow Wow in the hands of Kevin Stott.

“She’s a quite a big, round sort of a filly that holds plenty of condition. In fact, in the early days, I didn’t think she had much ability but she was just carrying too much weight,” he said. “That was a trainer error for sure.

“She’s gotten herself fit and raced into form, but we’ve found that we just can’t do enough at the training track with her. She’s certainly one of the first to the buffet, that’s for sure, and from that perspective, we elected to have the trial today.

“She’s been a good leader, when she won her race she led and was only run down late by Hinekaha last start, which is nice company. She’s shown her best from the front, but she can’t always lead, so we wanted to take a trail today which Kevin did on her.

“He popped off the fence late and she had a nice little blow, which is what we were expecting from her. Trailing will give us a little bit more ammunition going forward if we need it.”

Eye Candy’s final assignment before her trip to Trentham will be next Saturday’s Gr.3 Al Basti Equiworld Dubai Sunline Vase (2100m), run on Champions Day at Ellerslie for $250,000.

“We’ve decided to go to the Sunline Vase on the big day at Ellerslie rather than chasing the good filly (Leica Lucy) and others in the Lowland (Gr.2, 2100m) as we lead into the Oaks,” Ritchie said.

“We thought a nice, cruisy trial today would top her off pretty well and she’ll probably join Tuxedo next Monday for a gallop at Ellerslie, which will bring her on a little bit more fitness-wise.”

Also featuring in the heat was her stablemate Pearl Of Alsace (NZ) (Tavistock), a Group One-performing mare who is looking at a potential tilt at the Gr.3 Wentwood Grange Cuddle Stakes (1600m), a race she took out two years ago.

“We gave her a week off after her last run and she put on about 18-20 kilos, she did extremely well just having a quick break and a freshen-up,” Ritchie said. “We knew she needed the trial, but it was very much a handbrake trial, and she was never out of first gear, Michael (McNab) said she felt terrific.

“We are reluctant to go too hard with the nice horses on the poly, but it does serve its purpose from our perspective because they get past the winning post and they’re back in their paddock fairly quickly afterwards. We appreciate being able to give them a glorified gallop, rather than a trial really.

“She’ll get ready for either the Group Two at Tauranga (Japan Trophy, 1600m) or the Cuddle Stakes. She’ll be looking for a shower of rain to show her best and she hasn’t had a lot of luck in her racing this prep.”

Talented four-year-old Nepheti (NZ) (Charm Spirit) made her first appearance after a spell later in the Open 950m heat, never being tested under Bridget Grylls to finish a tidy fourth.

A stakes performer at three, Nepheti commenced her season well in good company through the spring, but after a tough run on Melbourne Cup Day at Ellerslie, she headed to the paddock.

“She trialled well, she was just there for a soft trial and she jumped quick. Bridget Grylls eased her out of the early speed and she sat extremely quiet on her,” Ritchie said.

“She’s a mare that has had a big break, she’s a big-winded mare so she’ll have another trial and then she will probably head to Counties for a 75 sprint on the 21^st of March.

“She was a bit disappointing last time, but from a wide gate, she didn’t have a lot of luck either. We will be reluctant to run her until she gets a decent draw this time, particularly at Counties where the 1200 can be quite unforgiving if you’re out wide and jump well.

“She seems to be coming to hand really nicely, a second trial won’t do her any harm and then we’ll give her a few runs in the autumn before the track become too wet for her.”

The stable had a number of three-year-olds trialling through the morning, with The Oaks Stud-owned filly Esperanza (NZ) (Reliable Man) and first-time triallist Hinemoa Road (NZ) (Darci Brahma) noted as ones to watch by Ritchie.

“I think Esperanza has a really promising future, she got back in her trial and worked through the inside to run second to another filly of ours, Way Out,” he said.

“She’ll be one to look out for, as well as Hinemoa Road when he gets out to a mile. We haven’t done a lot with him, but I like the way he moves and he did well in his first educational trial, he’ll be more competitive in his next and hard to beat at the races once he’s up to 1600.”

Back at the stable, Tuxedo (NZ) (Tivaci) is gearing up for his biggest assignment to date in next Saturday’s $1.25 million Gr.1 Trackside New Zealand Derby (2400m), off the back of a stunning display in the Gr.2 Waikato Guineas (2000m).

“We know we’re going to have one of the best turn-of-foot in the race, it’s just a question of the extra 400m,” Ritchie said.

“He handles the 2000m of the Waikato Guineas with aplomb didn’t he, so based on that run, the Derby is going to be an exciting race for us and he deserves place in the top four in the market.

“It was probably fortunate that we did miss the Avondale Guineas (Gr.2, 2400m) because it wasn’t pleasant viewing for anybody. But it also gives us the option to go to Australia, as we won’t be running three times in basically a period of four weeks.

“That would’ve virtually evaporated our chance of going to Sydney for the Australian Derby (Gr.1, 2400m). We are mindful that it is his first prep, but by spacing his races and hopefully getting a little bit of rain in Sydney, it is a realistic target for him.

“If his New Zealand Derby performance warrants it, it gives us that option like many good Derby winners have in the past, to go over and have a crack at the Australian one as well.”

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