Cover image courtesy of Race Images
The two Group 1 races for juveniles in New Zealand in 2023/24 were won by the filly Velocious (Written Tycoon) and the colt Move To Strike (I Am Invincible).
Unfortunately, Velocious is out for the spring. “She’s gone for a wind operation, she’ll be back into the New Year and we certainly hope she will come back to top form,” Marsh told Loveracing.nz on Tuesday, September 17.
There are several other Group-winning fillies from last season and the early races in this season who are all headed towards the G1 NZ 1000 Guineas, which will be held at Riccarton on November 16.
Tony Pike’s promising pair
Tony Pike has two exciting 3-year-old fillies heading towards the NZ 1000 Guineas. Archaic Smile (Saxon Warrior {Jpn}) won two of her first three starts at two including the Listed Wellesley S. She added a second placing in the G1 Sistema S. to Velocious later in the season and finished her juvenile career with a fourth in the G1 Manawatu Sires’ Produce S.
Back at three, she ran second first-up, before a fifth in the G3 Gold Trail S. last start. “She’ll go to the Hawkes Bay Guineas next Saturday against the boys. She’s more suited over 1400 or more, and everything going to plan she’ll go to the Guineas too.”
Archaic Smile | Image courtesy of Peter Rubery (Race Images Palmerston North)
Pike also trains last start Listed Canterbury Belle S. winner Raziah (NZ) (Niagara), who placed in the Listed Castletown S. in three starts at two. “Raziah won the Canterbury Belle at only her fourth start. She’ll go to the Barnswood next, then the Guineas. The Northern fillies are looking stronger at this time (than Raziah and her South Island based contemporaries). Hopefully she progresses through that series.”
“As for the Oaks, it’s too early to decide. We have a few unraced fillies who will start in the next six weeks who might end up there.”
Te Akau Racing’s trilogy of fillies
Te Akau Racing always seem to have a good filly every year, and co-trainer Sam Bergerson agreed. “Hopefully there’ll be another Imperatriz among this crop,” he laughed.
As far as this year’s Guineas goes, Te Akau Racing have three good chances at this point in time with Captured By Love (Written Tycoon) picked out by Bergerson as their main hope. “She’s our main chance. She ran at Hawkes Bay and was second to Alabama Lass.”
Captured By Love | Image courtesy of Peter Rubery (Race Images Palmerston North)
Captured By Love won her first four in succession at two including two Group 2 races and a Group 3, then was third in both the kiwi juvenile Group 1 races. Back at three, she ran second in the G3 Gold Trail S. to Alabama Lass (Alabama Express). A $525,000 purchase from Milburn Creek at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale, Captured By Love is the first foal of city winning mare Moldova (Snitzel).
“She will go to the Hawkes Bay Guineas against the boys, stepping up to 1400 metres. She’s gone the right way since her first run, then maybe the Soliloquy then fly her down for the Guineas.”
“She (Captured By Love) will go to the Hawkes Bay Guineas against the boys, stepping up to 1400 metres. She’s gone the right way since her first run, then maybe the Soliloquy then fly her down for the Guineas.” - Sam Bergerson
Dream Of The Moon (All Too Hard) is another heading to the Guineas.
“She ran in the Canterbury Belle, is going well. We got her in Australia and will progress to the Group 3 in Ashburton (Barnswood S.), then one more run into the Guineas. She’s already in our South Island barn which is a massive plus, and she’s settled in well.”
Dream Of The Moon, a $160,000 purchase at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale, had seven starts at two for a win and two placings including third in the G2 Wakefield Challenge S, a race won by stablemate Captured By Love. At three, she second first-up in the Listed Canterbury Belle S.
Dream Of The Moon as a yearling | Image courtesy of Magic Millions
“The Victress is our other main hope for the Guineas. She was really good first-up over 1000 metres, then disappointing on wet track next. She’s going to the Barnswood too.”
The Victress (Zousain) was a winner on debut at two and also won her first start three, with a record of two wins from five starts.
“We also have Donna Chiara who runs in a maiden next Wednesday, then will have a crack at some black type with her. We’ve got some nice fillies who are trialling now and might get to the oaks. It’s a little bit early to say, and we are still battling wet tracks. The Oaks is a long way away.”
Cody Cole has Renovations in the Guineas
Commonwealth Games weightlifter Cody Cole applies what he learned as an elite athlete to his racing team, and he has Renovations (NZ) (Ardrossan) entered for the G1 NZ 1000 Guineas. Second on debut at two behind Alabama Lass, Renovations was a winner from four starts at two including running second in a Listed race at the end of the season to Super Photon (NZ) (Super Seth). This season at three, she resumed with a fourth in the G3 Gold Trail S.
Renovations (NZ) | Image courtesy of Kenton Wright (Race Images)
“She’s quite a nice filly who was stakes placed at two,” said Cole. “It was a good effort in a strong Gold Trail in Hawkes Bay. She hasn’t had the ideal prep, but she didn’t disgrace herself. We will head to Matamata then look to go towards the Soliloquy then the Guineas. It’s a loose plan and she’s got to keep stepping up and make sure she’ll run the trip out.”
