In-form three-year-old Atmospheric (NZ) (El Roca) will be given his first tilt at stakes level when he heads to Ellerslie on Saturday to contest the Gr.3 Trelawney Stud Championship Stakes (2100m).
The lightly-tried son of El Roca hasn’t finished outside of the money in his six starts to date, with his four starts this preparation netting two wins and two placings, and trainer Cody Cole believes he deserves his chance at adding some black-type to his name before heading for a spell.
“He seems to be coping with the preparation well, we are obviously pretty deep into it,” Cole said. “He went up to Ellerslie last week and galloped between races and worked well, and he worked well again yesterday (Tuesday) morning. We can’t fault him and 2000m should suit him with how he raced last start.
“We are just going to learn about him too and see if he will run a trip, and it gives us a bit of an idea of where we plan on heading with him next season. He is looking quite progressive at the moment.
“It is a smart field. A lot of the horses are probably stepping up to a trip for the first time as well, but I couldn’t be any happier with him going into it, so hopefully he can do what he did last time and round off the race well.”
Atmospheric will be joined on the float trip north from their Matamata base by Carajillo (NZ) (Ardrossan), who will line-up in the Trackside.co.nz 1600.
“She has been a bit of an enigma,” Cole said. “She runs a winning race every time but she is missing the kick and making it very difficult on herself.
“We have changed a bit of gear and put a barrier blanket on her and some visor blinkers and just see if we can invigorate her out of the gates. If she can get away with them, she is going to be a good chance.”
Earlier in the week, Cole will head to his home track at Matamata on Thursday with a trio of runners, headlined by Social Racing’s Group Three performer Renovations (NZ) (Ardrossan), who will contest the Banking For Bloodstock 1400.
The three-year-old daughter of Ardrossan has been freshened after she was forced to bypass last month’s Gr.1 New Zealand Oaks (2400m), and Cole is hoping for a bold showing in her resuming run.
“We are at a time of the season where there’s not a lot around for her,” Cole said. “She had a little bit of a setback on her way to the Oaks and didn’t get there. We have refreshed and will give her a run or two before she heads to the paddock for the winter and regroup for next season.
“She has done a good job, she is obviously not quite up to the better fillies, but she has done a nice enough job and placed in a Group Three.
“She is an honest type and has worked really well. The outside gate (16) is not going to help, but if the rain comes it’s not going to be a bad place to be by the last.”
Stablemate Dudaday (NZ) (Darci Brahma) will be vying to make it back-to-back wins in the Matamata Function Centre Mile (1600m), where he will be reunited with high weight hoop Troy Harris.
“Hopefully we have found the key to him with putting Troy on him because he won well last start,” Cole said. “The form out of that race seems to have stacked up well enough and he has worked as if he can go on with it.”
Cole’s team will be rounded out by Luna Star (NZ) (Almanzor), who will carry owners Philip and Catherine Brown’s silks in the Entain/NZB Insurance Pearl Series 1200.
“She is a nice filly, we really like her, and I think she is going to be paying overs there,” Cole said.