Awapuni trainer Lisa Latta is no stranger to big-race success during New Zealand Cup Week, and she will have chances in each of the three feature events at Riccarton Park on Saturday.
The Gr.1 Barneswood Farm New Zealand 1000 Guineas (1600m) will come first, with Latta’s progressive filly Connello bringing victories in her last two starts to the elite-level contest. The most recent of those was in open three-year-old company at Trentham in the hands of Tina Comignaghi, who retains the ride.
“I’m looking forward to getting her up over a mile, I think she’ll definitely see it out and is looking for it at this stage,” Latta said.
“She’s a very easy filly, very tractable and can jump and put herself anywhere. If the showers come in, that won’t worry her either.”
A decade ago, Latta triumphed in the 1000 Guineas with Platinum Witness, and in her experience with runners in the race, she has found the benefit of juvenile racing and travel, both of which Connello has under her belt.
“I think when they’ve had a couple of starts as a two-year-old, they are a bit more advanced than other horses, it makes it a bit easier to be ready for a race like this,” she said.
“She’s also had a trip down there already, which is quite important.”
In a market dominated by northerners Alabama Lass ($2.45) and Captured By Love ($2.70), Connello is an equal-fifth favourite at $16.
A pair of Latta gallopers will contest the Listed Lindauer Stewards Stakes (1200m) in Platinum Attack and Lincoln’s Kruz, both of which were eye-catching finishers in the Listed Pegasus Stakes (1000m) last Saturday.
“Platinum Attack just got too far out of his ground when he was slow away again,” she said.
“He’s not drawn in an ideal spot again (11) but we’ll certainly be trying to ride him a touch handier.
“Lincoln’s Kruz finished off nicely in the Pegasus, just from the one draw, a horse played up next to him and made him slow away, which was the undoing of the race.
“He’s drawn well enough to get a better trip on Saturday (7).”
Latta has a Stewards success on her mantelpiece from 2016 (Reilly Lincoln), leaving the Gr.3 Martin Collins New Zealand Cup (3200m), and she will be vying to take out the 161st edition of the iconic staying event with Sacred Pearl.
A daughter of Sacred Falls, Sacred Pearl has been in sterling form of late, with back-to-back victories in the Egmont Cup (2200m) and Feilding Cup (2100m) in her most recent appearances.
Visiting Australian jockey Harry Grace was on board in both races, and he will ride the mare on Saturday, navigating an unfavourable draw of 15.
“We nominated her so we were hoping that she would come up for it, the 3200m is a bit of a question mark, but that’s probably the case for a lot of the field,” Latta said.
“She settles well in her races and I can’t see any reason why she won’t see it out. She just needs to get some cover from the draw, it’s not ideal and is pretty wide.”
Completing Latta’s Riccarton contingent will be Group Two winner Lantern Way, who takes his place in the Discover Niue Premier (1600m).