It is moving day at Te Rapa on Saturday as some of New Zealand’s best fillies take the next step towards Classic ambitions when they contest a strong edition of the Gr.3 Super Seth Soliloquy Stakes (1400m).
Heading the market are undefeated fillies Prowess (NZ) and Legarto (NZ), both daughters of Rich Hill Stud stallion Proisir.
Money has come for the Roger James and Robert Wellwood-trained Prowess, who has firmed from $4.20 into $3 favourite after drawing favourably in barrier five with Vinnie Colgan to ride.
A nine-length winner on debut, Prowess overcame a checkered-passage to win when resuming over 1300m on the Cambridge synthetic last month, and has been six weeks between runs.
“It wasn’t intentional to have six weeks between runs but weather and tracks have dictated to us. We are pretty happy with the way the preparation has gone,” Wellwood said.
“She has drawn well enough that if she jumps she is going to get a nice position, but we certainly won’t be rushing her off her feet early. We’d like to think she’d end up in the first half dozen.”
Nominated for both the Gr.1 Al Basti Equiworld Dubai 50th New Zealand 2000 Guineas (1600m) and the Gr.1 Barneswood Farm 50th New Zealand 1000 Guineas (1600m) at Riccarton next month, Wellwood said Prowess is sharp enough for Saturday’s assignment.
“She won over 1200m very impressively at her first start but we are still learning a bit about her,” Wellwood said.
“She is a filly that relaxes nicely and is going to be able to get a mile easily and then onwards from there, who knows. She is going into the race in nice order.
“She has probably got to run a big race, likely top three, to warrant a trip down South. We wouldn’t take her down there unless we really thought she could win the race.
“It is a big step up to stakes class tomorrow but we are very confident that we have got her in the best shape we can and we are going to learn a lot tomorrow and know exactly where we sit amongst the three-year-old fillies.”
Photo: Trish Dunell
The Ken and Bev Kelso-trained Legarto has not fared as well from the barrier draw (12) and has subsequently eased with TAB Bookmakers from an opening quote of $2.70 out to $3.20.
The two-win filly enters off the back of a strong win at Te Rapa three weeks ago and Ryan Elliot again takes the ride.
“I’m very happy with her. Her work has been good and she is very bright,” Ken Kelso said.
“There are a couple of little question marks, the draw obviously and the second one is the firmer track. They are probably the two things we are going to find out about.
“Her pattern of racing is to get back anyway, and I think there is a lot of speed in the race.
“I wouldn’t want to be hunting her forward and putting her in the race. It is Ryan’s job to try and find a spot somewhere not giving them too much start.”
Kelso said some of the better fillies are just becoming apparent as the heavily rain-affected tracks start to dissipate.
“They’re coming out of the woodwork. The tracks have been bad lately and suddenly we’re on to reasonable surfaces and a few of them are putting their hands up,” he said.
“We are all in the same boat and tomorrow will give us the answers we are looking for, whether we press on to Riccarton or not.
“We want to see a good performance tomorrow to warrant putting her on the plane to go to Christchurch.
“It’s likely that Riccarton will be a firmish track as well. I think the 1400m tomorrow will suit her and I really believe that stepping up to a mile is going to improve her even further. We are going to be a lot wiser tomorrow.”
There is good depth to the Soliloquy, with the Mark Walker-trained pair Romancing The Moon ($5.50) and Stella Splendida ($7.50) both in the market, along with stakes-winning Central Districts visitor Rocababy ($9).
