By Jonny Turner
Canterbury filly Yoha will attempt to keep up her sire Terror To Love’s good form at Gore on Saturday.
The 3yr-old scored a deserved win at Ascot Park last weekend, which saw her register her dad’s first victory in New Zealand in the colours of his former trainer Paul Court.
Just minutes later, Terror to Love produced his second winner on New Zealand soil when Terror The Christian won the next race.
Naturally, Court was thrilled to notch the first two wins in New Zealand for his three-time New Zealand Cup winner.
“It was a thrill – we qualified a bunch of his horses last year and the majority of them have come back quite nice,” the trainer said.
“It was good to get a result for him; I think he should be in for a pretty good season.”
Yoha will attempt to continue Terror To Love’s run of success when she lines up in what is set to be a hotly-contested graduation final at Gore.
If her progression in her last three starts is anything to go by, the filly should line up in even better order than she was in for her last start win.
Yoha was easily held out by race rival Emmersyn Lee three starts ago, but has made big strides since, with two great runs.
“She has got better with a bit of racing and she wouldn’t be without a chance at all on Saturday,” Court said.
“I thought the run at Winton two starts ago was really good.
“She made a run from just inside the 800m and she kept fighting and didn’t go down by much.”
Yoha clashes with a classy line-up of progressive fillies and mares, and each of them have legitimate winning claims.
She starts from barrier 1 on the second row for driver Blair Orange under the 2200m event’s preferential barrier draw.
Court is hopeful his filly will measure up with her rivals.
“Being one on the second line, Blair can pick and choose who he follows. It is a handy enough field, but with the right trip she can give it a shake.”
Fellow Canterbury raiders Need You Now and Woman In Gold both bring good Addington form to the race.
Need You Now beat race rival Kick Up Ya Heels at Winton last month before beating another rival in Plutonium Lady at Addington.
Kick Up Ya Heels went on to produce a huge effort for fifth, after galloping early and losing a chunk of ground in a race won by Emmersyn Lee.
Emmersyn Lee goes into Saturday’s race without racing since her impressive win at Ascot Park.
Woman In Gold heads south after scoring a front-running win at Addington, earlier this month.
Yoha has had the measure of both American Eyretime and Renegade Rose recently.
However, the pair bring good place form and look each-way chances in Saturday’s race.