Sweet start to Wynyard’s week on the road

[Wandering Eyes]

Promising filly Sweet Talkin Gal got Hollie Wynyard’s week off on the right foot as she readies proven mare Archaic Smile for a stakes assignment at Riccarton on Saturday.

The Cambridge trainer ventured to New Plymouth on Wednesday with high hopes for Sweet Talkin Gal, a daughter of Anders who had placed in all three of her raceday starts including third last time out behind Gr.1 Barneswood Farm New Zealand 1000 Guineas (1600m) contender Belle Cheval.

The market shared her faith backing the filly into $1.60 favouritism and she got away cleanly in the hands of Jasmine Fawcett, settling outside the leader Rockman in the early stages. A key rival in Arthur strode up to take over nearing the 800m but Fawcett kept in close range, striding up beside the leader to set up a battle in the home straight.

Arthur held the Sweet Talkin Gal at bay for a decent part of the straight but she was the stronger horse late, kicking up to win by a neck.

It hadn’t been a comfortable watch for Wynyard in the small field and she was relieved to come up on the right side of the result.

“It was a really good run, those small fields can be a bit niggly and almost harder to win but she’s done it well,” she said. “She took almost the length of the straight to do it and had me half-terrified, but she’s got there in the end.

“It’s massive to tick that maiden off as a three-year-old, the world’s your oyster from then on really and you’ve got so many options for them from here. For her, going 1400 for the third time was probably a bit cheeky, she’s a real mile to 2000m horse, an Oaks filly in the making I hope.

“To get the win over 1400m is outstanding and she’s only going to get better from here.”

There will be no 1000 Guineas this year for Sweet Talkin Gal, but her stablemate has headed south to contest the Gr.3 Windsor Park Stud Canterbury Breeders Stakes (1400m) on the opening day of New Zealand Cup Week.

While one of the lower-rated runners at 76, Archaic Smile has one of the best records in the mares field, having won at stakes level and placed in a Group One as a juvenile, then backed that up with runner-up finishes in the Gr.2 Wellington Guineas (1400m) and Gr.3 Cambridge Breeders’ Stakes (1200m) at three.

She has performed well in strong company at Te Rapa and Ellerslie so far this campaign and Wynyard believes she has found the right race third-up.

“The season hasn’t mapped out great for her so far, she’s been in the wrong races and that’s no one’s fault, it’s just been tracks and weather and everything else,” she said. “I think she’s finally in the right race with the right conditions and I think she can go pretty close.

“She’s drawn 11 so she’ll probably have to go back from the gate and she’ll be weaving a path through them like she does.

“She’s a really genuine mare with a blistering turn of foot, so here’s hoping she can get a stakes win, that would be nice.”

The daughter of Saxon Warrior will be ridden by Matt Cartwright, who rides the Guineas favourite Well Written later in the card.

All going smoothly, Wynyard isn’t counting out a back-up into the Gr.3 TAB Mile (1600m) on Wednesday, that race worth more than double the $120,000 purse of the Breeders’.

“As long as she pulls up happy and healthy, she’s the sort of horse that thrives off racing and licks the bowl every night – she’s a fat little pony really,” she said.

“I’m a little bit concerned that the track may be firm, and she’ll feel that, but as long as that’s not the case and she wants to go again, we’ll have another go.”

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