Extra distance and a switch to weight-for-age for Saturday’s Gr.1 Trackside Otaki-Maori WFA Classic (1600m) are steps in the right direction for Ladies Man, but his trainer Allan Sharrock is looking a few weeks further down the road.
Saturday’s $400,000 feature will be only the second Group One appearance for Ladies Man, who scored a brilliant come-from-behind victory in the Gr.1 Livamol Classic (2040m) at Hastings in October. The six-year-old son of Zed later made two appearances during the Melbourne Cup Carnival at Flemington in November, including a second placing in the Gr.3 Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2600m).
Ladies Man returned to action in a 1400m open handicap at New Plymouth on February 3, making up late ground for third behind runaway winner Ifndoubtgetout.
“I thought that was a massive run under 62kg,” Sharrock said. “He’s a serious racehorse.
“It’s still going to be a bit short for him tomorrow at 1600m, but his work has been super. We’re hoping to see him run another good race, and then his main goal will be the Bonecrusher New Zealand Stakes (Gr.1, 2000m) at Ellerslie. He’s going to have to come up against Legarto there, which is not a prospect many of us would relish, but he’s coming up really well and going the right way. I’m more than happy with the horse.”
Ladies Man will be ridden by Kate Hercock on Saturday and is rated a $10 chance in a market dominated by the high-flying Desert Lightning ($2.50).
Ladies Man headlines a talented Otaki team for Sharrock, who will also saddle the unbeaten Alexandra Quick in the Tele Otaki Handicap (1400m). The four-year-old daughter of Per Incanto has made a huge impression in both of her starts to date.
“Those two wins have been a little bit spooky and she seems to have got a bit of that X-factor,” Sharrock said.
“But the thing with her is that, as we move her up through the grades, she can’t carry on doing things as badly wrong as she has been and still keep winning races.
“She had a jumpout on Monday where she got away well and took up a position just behind the leaders. She did everything perfectly there, which was pleasing to see.
“We’ll have to wait and see what she does when we get her back to the races, but if she’s as good as she was in the jumpout, she’s got to be a very good chance.”
Saturday’s New World Otaki New Zealand St Leger Trial (2300m) marks the first appearance by Waisake since he lost his rider in the early stages of last month’s Gr.3 Wellington Cup (3200m).
“He’s taken no harm from that and has actually been working superbly,” Sharrock said. “This race will be a bit of a fork in the road for his campaign. It’ll tell us whether we look at the Auckland Cup (Gr.2, 3200m) or the St Leger (2600m).
“I think we’ve got a handful of nice chances on Saturday. Malachy seems a promising enough three-year-old and he didn’t have a lot of luck last time. There’s not many in his race this weekend and it’ll probably be a cat-and-mouse affair, but he’s got some good ability there.
“Tshiebwe needed his last-start run and could be quite a progressive stayer in the making. Going up to 2200m should suit him.
“Tavattack is coming up well. We could look at the Easter Handicap (Gr.3, 1600m) with him, or he could even travel with Ladies Man if we take him to Sydney or Brisbane.
“So even though there’s probably none I’d be wanting to put $2000 to win on, I think a few of ours should be running nice races.”