A heavy track is not the surface Riccarton trainer Lance Robinson wants as he looks for a black-type pathway for two promising three-year-old fillies slated to race on Friday.
But with Riccarton’s track producing a Heavy8 on Thursday and with rain through the day, Robinson now finds himself in a quandary ahead of the NZB Insurance Pearl Series Race (1200m) with his fillies Delphillius (NZ) (Rageese) and Let’s Go (NZ) (Vadamos).
A start in the Listed NZB Insurance Stakes (1400m) at Wingatui on March 4 is in the offing for Rageese filly Delphillius, who produced a gritty run for second resuming at Riccarton earlier this month, but Robinson has been hoping Friday’s race could provide him with confidence he was on the right track.
“We were really thrilled with her run and she’s come through the race really well too. The biggest concern is the wet track so that’s got me tossing up whether to run or not,” Robinson said.
“She’s very quick and the heavy track worries me. We were going to get a line on her for the three-year-old fillies races coming up.
“I really feel that she’s come on so well from the run the other day and I’m sure she’ll cop a slow track but I don’t know whether running her on a heavy track is the right move or not.
“It is the first race and the rail is out so I’ll see how much more rain we get. We ran her on wet tracks earlier on and she let us down both times. The owner is keen to run because it’s a Pearl Series race and she’s eligible for the bonus.
“To go to Wingatui, I really need a line on her tomorrow and that’s another reason why I’m leaning to running. There’s a race at Riccarton for her next Thursday but it’s a bit close to the Wingatui race so that’s another reason why we could go tomorrow.”
Robinson also has Vadamos filly Let’s Go accepted for the same race, the filly set to debut after three encouraging trials.
“She’s a filly we think a lot of. She’s got a lot of ability and trialled up really well,” he said. “She’ll get back in running but she’ll really be storming home. We’ve got some of those fillies races in mind for her later in the autumn over a bit more ground.”
Robinson has six other entrants at Riccarton, though Robinson said Doc Martyn (NZ) (Vadamos) was a doubtful runner on a wet track.
“Archerfield will run well. He went really well the other day; found the line well, so we’re really happy with him. Devil In Disguise should run well. We’ll haven’t tried him on a wet track but he should be right in it. Tavy With Me went really well fresh-up and her best form in the north was on wet tracks and she’s back in grade.”
Robinson’s other runners are Anneliese (NZ) (Vadamos) and Boot It Scooter (NZ) (Vespa).
Meanwhile, Robinson plans on giving stable stars Live Drama (NZ) (Ghibellines) and Avaquinella (NZ) (Proisir) an exhibition gallop at Riccarton next Thursday ahead of the Gr.3 Valachi Downs South Island Thoroughbred Breeders’ Stakes (1600m) on the same track on March 25.
