Belclare set for Group One target at Pukekohe

[Wandering Eyes]

Lisa Latta is looking towards consistent mare Belclare (NZ) (Per Incanto) to continue her stable’s winning run in feature races this season when she tackles the Gr.1 New Zealand Thoroughbred Breeders’ Stakes (1600m) at Pukekohe on Saturday.

The five-year-old daughter of Per Incanto will be having her last run of a spring and summer campaign that has seen her rarely finish out of the money while securing black type victories in the Gr.3 Canterbury Breeders’ Stakes (1400m) at Riccarton and the Wairarapa Thoroughbred Breeders’ Stakes (1600m) at Tauherenikau.

Latta has been keeping a close eye on the weather and as long as the Pukekohe surface remains in the Soft5 range that it was listed at on Friday, then she thinks her stable representative is right in the fight.

“She (Belclare) has had a great season and those two stakes wins were justified for her,” Latta said.

“She has really only failed when the tracks have been too wet, so as long as they don’t get any more rain on Saturday then she will be well suited.

“This will be her last run in this campaign and she can go and have a nice break before we bring her back in the spring.”

The last time that Latta ventured north to Pukekohe for a feature meeting she left with a brace of victories including Platinum Invador (NZ) (Redwood) taking out the Gr.2 Auckland Cup (3200m) and underrated stayer Lincoln Star (NZ) (Savabeel) defeating his rating 75 rivals over 2100m.

Gr.2 Auckland Cup (3200m) winner Platinum Invador will be in action at Riccarton later this month
Photo: Trish Dunell

Lincoln Star steps out again in the same grade and over the same distance on Saturday, with Latta believing he is well placed with the 4kg claim of apprentice Hamish McNeill seeing him carry just 54kgs in the contest.

“Lincoln Star won well last time so I’m hoping he can continue that form again this weekend,” she said.

“He won at outside odds ($32) and I don’t expect to see him pay that again, but the claim will help and he has trained on well.”

Platinum Invador went on to run a meritorious fourth in last Saturday’s Gr.2 Awapuni Gold Cup (2000m) after his Auckland Cup victory, with Latta advising the Gr.3 Coca-Cola Canterbury Gold Cup (2000m) at Riccarton on April 22 is his next target.

“I was thrilled with how Platinum Invador went at his last run as he got well back and really ran home well for fourth,” she said.

“He holds his form well and the Canterbury Gold Cup looks an ideal race for him next.

“We will see how he comes through that but there are some nice races in Brisbane for him during the winter carnival so that is something we are looking at for him.”

Two-year-old Group One winner Pignan is enjoying a break before getting ready for her three-year-old season
Photo: Race Images – Peter Rubery

Latta also reported that impressive Gr.1 Manawatu Sires’ Produce Stakes (1400m) winner Pignan (NZ) (Staphanos) is safely in the spelling paddock and won’t be seen again until the spring.

“The Group One at Awapuni was her main aim and I’m thrilled for her connections that we could achieve what we set out to do,” Latta said.

“The plan was to put her aside after that and she is now in the paddock for a well-earned rest.

“There is so much upside for her next season so we weren’t tempted to look at anything else this time in.”

Pignan is raced by former All White Andy Rennie, All Black legend Christian Cullen and Cullen’s former manager David Monnery and became the first stakes and Group One winner for Staphanos, a son of international sire sensation Deep Impact, from his first southern hemisphere crop after commencing stud duties at Luigi Muollo’s Novara Park Stud in Cambridge in 2019.

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