Written by Paul Vettise
Travelling Light (El Roca) will be racing for a NZ$100,000 purse on Saturday and, if she grabs the lion’s share, may then earn a crack at an Australian prize 10-times that size.
The improving 4-year-old will step out in the G2 Ultimate Mazda Japan Trophy at Tauranga and remains in the mix for a trip to Sydney for next month’s G1 Coolmore Legacy S. at Randwick.
Travelling Light was one of the country’s leading fillies last season and her last two performances have encouraged trainer Ben Foote and breeder-owner Col MacRury to leave the Coolmore option open.
The mare’s most recent efforts and the weather in Sydney have combined to keep her in the running for a first overseas trip.
“Col wanted to nominate for the Legacy and we’ll see what happens on Saturday first. She might grow another leg on a wetter track, she’s only had one start on a Heavy track and was a pretty impressive winner so she might be better with the cut in the ground,” Foote said.
Travelling Light enjoyed an outstanding 3-year-old campaign and won her first two starts before claiming in the G3 Soliloquy S. She then finished third in the G1 New Zealand 1000 Guineas.
Group 1 victory
She subsequently added the G1 Levin Classic to her record before a break, but turned in a below-par run when resuming last spring and was turned out again.
Travelling Light looked more like her old self when fourth in the G1 BCD Sprint behind Avantage (Fastnet Rock) and finished well once into the clear for third behind the Te Akau mare in the G1 Otaki Weight-For-Age Classic.
“She’s coming up well to be fair. I’ve just been trying to get her confidence up and get her back to her best form,” Foote said.
“She’s coming up well to be fair. I’ve just been trying to get her confidence up and get her back to her best form." - Ben Foote
“I think she’s there and her work has been really good, she’s been really keen and doing very well in herself.
“Sydney is still a possibility. It’s a weaker field on Saturday than she’s met for a while, and that’s with no disrespect to the other horses, and she’s weighted pretty well so she’ll tell us,” Foote said.
The winner of five of her 11 starts, Travelling Light will carry 54.5kg under the set weights and penalties conditions of the race and will be reunited with jockey Samantha Collett. She has successfully combined with her on four occasions.
