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Auckland Cup calling Sassy Lass
Sassy Lass (Staphanos) has been a rising star in the staying ranks throughout her four-year-old term and is on her way to an Auckland Cup (Gr 2, 3200m) tilt through Saturday’s Kaimai Stakes (Listed, 2000m) at Matamata. Once the Lance O’Sullivan and Andrew Scott-trained mare got out to 2200 metres back in June she punished her rivals by an extending ten lengths to break her maiden, and then won three of her next four starts. She placed in the Waikato Cup (Gr 3, 2400m) in December and her most recent appearance was a close-up fourth in the Marton Cup (Listed, 2200m) on January 4. After a freshen-up, Scott couldn’t be happier with her progress ahead of Saturday’s assignment. “She’s flying, we’ve given her a quick freshen since early January and she’s put on 12 kilos in bodyweight and feeling very well,” he said. “She’ll sprint well fresh on Saturday over the 2000 metres, she’s so consistent and always runs a good race. We’re expecting nothing less on the weekend. She’s on track to trial for the Auckland Cup, so hopefully she puts in a performance that warrants cracking on to the big day.”
Loch In Ora to have second crack at stakes level
Loch In Ora (Pierro) is in prime order to continue the successful run of her connections when she lines up in Saturday’s Kaimai Stakes. New Plymouth trainer Allan Sharrock can’t fault the in-form five-year-old, whose breeder and part-owner Christopher Grace has enjoyed recent successes with Hinekaha (Savabeel), who triumphed in the Oaks Prelude (Listed, 1800m) at New Plymouth and Reputation (Iffraaj), who saluted in the Thoroughbred Breeders’ Stakes (Listed, 1600m). The latter was ridden to victory by Lily Sutherland, who continues her association with Loch In Ora this weekend. The daughter of Pierro (Lonhro) posted consecutive victories prior to Christmas before her last-start third in the Taranaki Cup (Gr 3, 1800m). “She’s come through her Taranaki Cup runs well and I’d say she’s probably improved off it,” Sharrock said. “She hadn’t raced for six weeks and it was a nice effort, Wheels’ [John Wheeler] horse [Herbert] was pretty fit so I thought the run was very good. The 2000 metres looks to be her optimum distance and she’s drawn one.” While no future plans are set, Sharrock is looking to aim at fillies and mares’ races deeper in the autumn like the Travis Stakes (Gr 2, 2000m) at Te Rapa and the Manawatu Breeders’ Stakes (Gr 3, 2100m) at Trentham.
Stakes debut for Lilly in Guineas
Exciting three-year-old Lilly (War Decree) will spearhead a Canterbury assault on Saturday’s Southland Guineas (Listed, 1400m), with trainer Ross Beckett confident she can measure up. An impressive debut winner in October, Lilly added a second victory at Riccarton last week, beating older horses with authority over 1200 metres. “We’ve had this race in mind for a while, and she’s come through her last run really well,” Beckett said. “It’s a quick turnaround, but she’s had plenty of work and is ready to go.” Lilly is owned and bred by Beckett and his wife Cate and is out of the winning Generous (Caerleon) mare La Generose, who also produced the Group 3-placed Beneficial (Highly Recommended). “As a two-year-old, Denby-Rose [Tait] rode her in work and said she was one of the quickest she’d sat on, so we turned her out,” Beckett added. “She’s better natured than Beneficial and I think she might be a bit quicker as well. She’s bred to get over ground, so there’s plenty ahead of her.”
El Vencedor confirmed for Hong Kong trip
In-form gelding El Vencedor (Shocking) will get a chance to test his talent in Hong Kong when he heads over in April to contest the QEII Cup (Gr 1, 2000m) at Sha Tin. Following the six-year-old’s impressive run of form, which culminated in winning last Saturday’s Herbie Dyke Stakes (Gr 1, 2000m) at Te Rapa, trainer Stephen Marsh received an invitation from the Hong Kong Jockey Club, and he and owner-breeders Mark Freeman and David Price jumped at the opportunity. “We received an email from Hong Kong [Jockey Club], who asked if we would be interested and we said ‘if we’re invited we would certainly be interested’, so they said ‘here’s your invite’,” Marsh said. “It will be a great trip and he looks like the right sort to do it. He will cope with the travel and it will be a great experience.” While the QEII Cup is an addition to El Vencedor’s preparation, Marsh said it won’t change his immediate targets back home. “He runs next Saturday at Ellerslie in the Otaki Mile and then he goes to the Bonecrusher, and then six weeks into the QEII Cup,” he said. “Nothing is going to change between now and the Bonecrusher.”