Steven Ramsay and Julia Ritchie will bid to continue their hot run of form since moving their operation to a new property with another trip to the Central Districts this week.
The Waikato couple have their eyes on a black-type goal for their promising filly Island Life (NZ) (Vadamos) at Otaki on Thursday with the Gr.3 Elsdon Park Wellington Stakes (1600m) viewed as an ideal opportunity for the daughter of Vadamos.
The Pencarrow Stud trainers have recently shifted base and with it has come a flurry of success.
“We moved to a new property at the start of the month and since the move we’ve had five winners,” Ramsay said.
“It used to be Jim Marks’ old property, Hinuera Lodge, and Wayne Hillis was there for a while and some really nice horses have come off the place.
“We’ve got our own little track there and can mix it up and take them to Matamata or work them at home and the horses seem to be really enjoying it.”
Island Life has made a strong start to her career to earn an early crack at stakes company following a debut second and overcame trouble in the run home to post her maiden victory at Tauranga earlier this month.
“She got stopped in her tracks about 200m out and got going again and to run away like she did was really encouraging,” Ramsay said.
“She has always showed ability and won her first trial, we’ve always had an opinion of her.
“We trialled her as a late two-year-old and then tipped her out, she needed a wee bit of time and is out of a Montjeu mare so she will get better and over more ground.”
Bred and raced by Sir Peter Vela, Island Life’s dam Lycia is an unraced half-sister to the Gr.1 Rosehill Guineas (2000m) and Gr.1 Australian Derby (2400m) runner-up De Beers from the legendary Eight Carat family.
“Sam Spratt will ride her again and this looks a nice race for her on paper to try to get some black type,” Ramsay said.
“It’s been three and a-half weeks between races for her so it’s a good space and it will be her first trip away, but I think she’ll handle it alright.”
The stable will be hoping Island Life can follow the winning trend on the road of her stablemates Golden (NZ) (Eminent) and Sisembra (NZ) (U S Navy Flag), who delivered a winning double at Wanganui last weekend.
“Golden was a good run, she’s going to end up a really nice stayer and Sesimbra is only a little dot, but she tries really hard,” Ramsay said.
A four-year-old by Eminent, Golden has won two of her last three starts over ground and in between times finished second at Ellerslie.
U S Navy Flag filly Sesimbra broke her maiden at her second appearance when resuming and followed up with a strong age group success on Saturday.
