Samantha Wynne recently bid farewell to her star three-year-old Pivotal Ten (NZ) (Ten Sovereigns), but waiting in the wings has been Kellanzor (NZ) (Almanzor), who gets her opportunity in the spotlight in Saturday’s Listed NZB Airfreight Stakes (1600m) at Riccarton.
The Canterbury trainer-jockey had an outstanding summer with Pivotal Ten, winning the Listed NZB Insurance Stakes (1400m), Listed Gore Guineas (1335m) and Listed Southland Guineas (1400m), earning herself a place in the $3.5 million NZB Kiwi (1500m).
Meanwhile, Kellanzor worked her way through maidens swiftly and finished a meritorious fifth in the Southland Guineas, a performance she continued to build on when flashing home to score in the open three-year-old contest at Riccarton on March 22.
The daughter of Almanzor will meet a number of those rivals again at the course on Saturday, where she has drawn barrier 13 with a number of emergencies to her inside.
“I was very happy with her, she should take a lot of improvement out of her last run,” Wynne said.
“She’s meeting a very strong field on Saturday so she’s going to have to bring her A-game, but hopefully we get a bit of luck on the day.”
Wynne races Kellanzor on lease from Cambridge Stud, who also purchased into Pivotal Ten after her rapid rise.
“We have some family members and good friends involved in her,” she said. “They’ve really been enjoying the ride so far.
“She’s out of a good mare in Kelly O’Reilly, so hopefully we can do a good job for the stud.”
The natural progression for the southern fillies will be continuing on to the Listed New Zealand Bloodstock Warstep Stakes (2000m) on April 26, but that is not a certainty for the lightly-raced filly.
“We’ll let her tell us, we would like to go there but it may be a step too far at this stage,” Wynne said.
“We’ll see how she is in between, but at the moment she’s thriving and hopefully we can get there in one piece.”
Her stablemates Oaksdeel and Blue Goddess are currently on the ballot for the feature, with the former more likely to get a start after being luckless on a number of occasions last preparation.
“Oaksdeel has had a freshen-up and she’s really bright, looks well and is doing everything right,” Wynne said.
“She’s slowly getting stronger as we go, but she’s a lovely filly and deserves a crack at the race. She’s been unlucky at times and shown potential, so hopefully we get a start even from a bad draw.”
Among Wynne’s other contenders at the meeting is Ardour (NZ) (Proisir), a two-win mare who has a good affinity with the synthetic course at Riccarton. Fresh-up since mid-September, the daughter of Proisir will contest the Windsor Park Stud RR&B Luncheon and Yearling Sale May 2nd Rating 65 (1200m).
“She’s been in work for quite a while, Alan Browne pre-trained her for me and she’s a good doing kind of mare,” Wynne said.
“We’re in preparation for the polytrack meetings, but she’s galloping very well at home and I’m really happy with where she’s at going into Saturday. She’s one to watch going forward.”
Alongside Kellanzor and Pomander (NZ) (So You Think), Wynne has picked up a number of outside rides at the meeting, including Ascot Park gelding Maximus Augustus (NZ) (War Decree) in the $350,000 TAB Southern Alps Challenge (1600m).
The pair combined to win the ODT Southern Mile Final (1600m) at Wingatui in early March, before finishing fourth in an open 1400m at Riccarton on March 22.
“It was a nice run to get a line on where he’s at up this way, he was a bit fresh and pulled a little bit so hopefully he can settle in the running,” Wynne said.
“It’s a very good field, but I really like this horse and I think he’s got potential. Hopefully he can get things his way, but he’s going to need to in such a strong race, it’s going to be an exciting one.”
She will partner the Anna Furlong-trained juvenile Sweetheart (NZ) (Vanbrugh) in the Listed Welcome Stakes (1000m), her first ride aboard the daughter of Vanbrugh.
“She’s going well, she had a good first start for fourth the other day and she’s had a look at the track, so that’s a positive,” she said.
“The whole card on the day is very competitive, but I’m really happy with my rides.”
