You Say D’Orsay (NZ) (Under The Louvre) will continue his path towards next month’s Gr.3 Manco Easter Handicap (1600m) at Ellerslie when he heads to Tauranga on Saturday to contest the Stu Cundy Bayleys Country & Lifestyle 1400.
The Under The Louvre four-year-old has finished fourth in his last two outings, including the $1 million Aotearoa Classic (1600m) at Ellerslie in January, and trainer Chris Wood believes his gelding can figure in the finish this weekend.
“He is really good, I am really happy with him,” the Cambridge conditioner said.
“We pulled him out last weekend when he drew the outside gate. I could see a little bit of pace in the race, so we decided to go to Saturday.
“He has drawn okay (7), but he is an on-pace horse, he doesn’t have to lead but he can lead.
“He is really bright. He has worked up well and he galloped well this (Thursday) morning, so I expect him to run a race. A kilo off his back will help and Ace (Lawson-Carroll, apprentice jockey) knows him quite well.”
After Saturday’s run, Wood said his charge will likely have one more run before the Easter Handicap.
Wood will also head to Tauranga with Noble Boy (NZ) (Redwood) and Radradra (NZ) (Derryn), who will contest the Larissa Reid Bayleys Whakatane Commercial 1600 and Snow Williams & Arun Mehan Bayleys Maiden (1600m) respectively.
Both geldings finished runner-up in their last start outings, and Wood is hoping they can go one better on Saturday.
“Noble Boy went well the other day, I thought he had won, but just got beaten by a nose,” Wood said. “He has come through that well.
“I don’t normally back them up one week to the next, I do it the odd time, but he is a big, strong horse. He had a quiet gallop this (Thursday) morning and worked up well, his rider was very happy with him.
“Radradra had a bone operation on his leg a year ago, which held him up for a while, he was out for quite a while and he has progressed nicely since then.
“He went a good race the other day, he was entitled to win, he just didn’t quite pick up the leader.
“He has had side winkers on and we have removed them and put blinkers on him. He galloped well with them on Tuesday and Thursday, so hopefully that is the necessary improvement. Stepping up to the mile should suit him too.”
A day prior at Pukekohe, Wood will be represented by just the one runner – What A Yarn (NZ) (What’s The Story) in the Horizon By SkyCity 1400.
“He went a good race the other day, he was only beaten 2.2 lengths at Taupo,” Wood said. “Sam (Spratt, jockey) said he couldn’t keep up early, they went quite hard early and she said he finished off well.
“He has come through that super. Unfortunately, she (Spratt) has had to take another ride for a stable she always rides for, so we have gone for Ace and he is top weight. It is nice to drop back into a rating 60 race and that should be right up his alley.”
Meanwhile, Wood has been pleased with the return of his promising two-year-old That’s Gold, who won his 800m trial at Ellerslie on Tuesday.
The son of Lucky Vega had placed in two of his four starts in the spring, and finished fourth in the Listed Counties Challenge Stakes (1100m) at Pukekohe on November.
He has enjoyed a break and is being set for a couple of starts over autumn before being prepared for a three-year-old spring preparation.
“He has run four times as a two-year-old, I don’t normally run my two-year-olds that many times, but he coped with everything, had a break and has been gelded,” Wood said.
“He had a trial at Ellerslie on Tuesday and won his heat nicely, albeit in a slow time. They walked up front and he only got running in the last 100m.
“I had him down for the Sires’ Produce (Gr.1, 1400m), but I would have to cook him to get him there and I am not prepared to do that, so I will sort something else out a bit easier.
“I will give him another run or two and I think he is a pretty smart horse who is up to good three-year-old company when he resumes in his three-year-old year.”
