Lance O’Sullivan and Andrew Scott will on Saturday bid to complete a premier sprinting double with Dragon Leap expected to be ideally suited at Trentham in his quest for top-flight honours in the Gr.1 JR & N Berkett Telegraph (1200m).
The Matamata trainers bagged the opening leg at Pukekohe on New Year’s Day following Waitaki’s dashing Gr.1 Railway (1200m) victory, with his stablemate fourth and with a genuine excuse for not finishing closer.
“We were really pleased with his effort and, with the trouble we’ve had with his feet through his career, we knew losing a shoe would affect his performance,” Scott said.
“Opie (Bosson) said he lost a strong gallop in the last 150 yards. We’re not saying it cost him winning the race, but it certainly affected him.
“When they lose a shoe like that you always worry that they may feel it for a day or two, but with the shoe back on the following morning he hasn’t missed a beat.”
The stable is also confident that Dragon Leap will improve with the outing, his first appearance since finishing runner-up in the Gr.1 Tarzino Trophy (1400m) in the spring.
“We believe the run has brought him on and we’ve just ticked him over and in the wee bit of work he has done, he has looked really enthusiastic,” Scott said.
“He comes in better at the weights in the Telegraph than he did in the Railway and we’ve always had a belief that the Telegraph will suit his style of racing.
“It’s a high-pressure race and they go a true gallop, so we think he’ll run it out really strongly.”
Meanwhile, Waitak will make his next appearance in the Gr.1 BCD Sprint (1400m) at Te Rapa on February 10.
“He races so well fresh and the quick back-up into the Telegraph wouldn’t have suited him and he races well at Te Rapa,” Scott said. “He came through New Year’s Day well and he’s in a good place.”
The stable also has Geriatrix primed for Saturday’s Gr.1 Cambridge Stud Levin Classic (1600m) following his run for fourth last time out in the Gr.3 Wellington Stakes (1600m).
“We went to Otaki with high hopes and walked away knowing a bit more about the horse and we will certainly look to ride him a little quieter,” Scott said.
“We might have had him a fraction close and the way the race was run it was set up for the backmarkers. He’s had a wee gap between runs, but he turned in a really good piece of work on Monday.
“He’s a really focussed colt and believe he’s got the ability to be competitive in these sorts of races with the right run.”
Bramco Granite & Marble Premier (1600m) contender Cornwallis will complete the travelling party to Trentham and is considered a strong each-way prospect.
“He’s been racing well and two starts back he lacked a bit of luck. He couldn’t get any momentum going at Tauranga and then at Matamata he got back in a slowly run race and pressed on well for third,” Scott said.
Wexford Stables also has a number of representatives at Tauranga on Friday with Neighbourhood, Monday Melody and Jaffira among their leading prospects.
Neighbourhood will bid to go one better in the Ray White Greerton (1400m) following a bold run for second when resuming at Matamata.
“We couldn’t have been more pleased with his first-up performance, he really dashed at the line and is working well. He’s a horse that has benefitted from a patient approach and certainly one of our best chances,” Scott said.
Monday Melody will drop back in grade from an unplaced run in the Gr.2 Auckland Guineas (1400m) in the Proudly Ray White (1600m), in which he will be opposed by Jaffira.
“Monday Melody is going a bit better than it may look and he will be stepping up in trip, which he is bred to run,” Scott said.
“He’s out of a Frankel mare and goes back to a stout New Zealand family and even though he’s by Snitzel, he’ll be more competitive over the mile.
“Jaffira ran well at Pukekohe and Opie (Bosson) was pretty happy with him and he’s improved with recent racing."