Mark Walker and Sam Bergerson will present nearly a third of the field in Saturday’s Group 1 Courtesy Ford Manawatu Sires’ Produce Stakes (1400m), vying for a seventh title in the last eight years with their all-conquering juveniles.
Te Akau’s glamour girl Melody Belle commenced their string of dominance in the $550,000 feature back in 2017, with the likes of Avantage and On The Bubbles taking the crown in the following years.
Each of that trio also was victorious in the $1 million Karaka Millions 2YO (1200m), a feat completed this year by Sires’ Produce favourite La Dorada.
The Super Seth filly backed up her Millions performance swiftly when taking out the Group 2 Matamata Breeders’ Stakes (1200m), and as a leading hope in the Group 1 Sistema Stakes (1200m) earlier this month, she was ruled out on race morning with a spiked temperature.
On the back foot, Walker and Bergerson have taken an alternative route with La Dorada but are confident she is ready to take on the elite-level feature at Trentham.
“We’re playing a bit of catch up now, she’s had two exhibition gallops at Tauranga and again at Matamata last Sunday to keep her up to the mark,” Bergerson said.
“She’s had a bit of time between runs and up to 1400m is the query, but she’s very bright and well at home now. Thankfully, she bounced through that spiked temperature after a couple of days and we think we’ve got her on track.”
La Dorada is the current market leader at $2.50, with her less-experienced stablemate Hostility next at $10.
Hostility, a $1.65 million son of I Am Invincible, narrowly missed winning his debut, going down to Tajana at Matamata.
“I was proud of his effort… the winner is a pretty nice horse and it’s a good form line heading into Saturday,” said Bergerson.
He’s improved from the raceday experience and worked well at Matamata with Born To Be Royal.
“He’s obviously got the least experience of the field, but we think he’s talented enough to be a strong each-way chance.”
Born To Be Royal, third behind La Dorada at Matamata, is considered a promising filly.
“She doesn’t carry a lot of condition… but she’s a real horse for the future and we think the big, roomy track at Trentham will really suit her, as well as the step up to 1400m.”
To Bravery Born, who placed third in the Matamata Slipper, completes the Te Akau quartet.
“He was very fresh without a lead-up before the Karaka Million… we’ve kept him fresh for Saturday. He’s done very well at home… He probably needs to improve off the Slipper effort, but he’s very bright at home.”
Walker and Bergerson tailor each horse’s prep individually.
“They’re all coming from different form-lines… we think they are going there in tip-top order.”
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