Matamata trainer Graham Richardson views Saturday’s Gr.1 Barneswood Farm New Zealand 1000 Guineas (1600m) as a wide-open contest and is hoping Lollapalooza (NZ) (El Roca) can be right in the thick of the $600,000 prize.
The El Roca filly announced herself as a key contender for the Riccarton showpiece when taking out the Gr.3 Gold Trail Stakes (1200m) early in the spring, then went down by a nose to Tajana in the Gr.3 Sunline Vase (1400m) a fortnight later.
Tajana and Lollapalooza went head-to-head for the second time in the Gr.2 Soliloquy Stakes (1400m) last start at Ellerslie but settled for third and fifth respectively in a contest taken out by Well Written, who opened a red-hot favourite in the Guineas market after final fields assembled on Wednesday morning.
Richardson was satisfied with the Soliloquy run after she got well back in the field but indicated the filly will wear blinkers for the first time on Saturday after arriving safely in Christchurch.
“She just got too far back and wouldn’t go through the gaps, the winner won very well but we were only a half-length from the second horse (Little Black Dress),” he said.
“I’m happy with her, so as long as she’s 100 percent well and healthy with a good draw (2) and blinkers on for the first time, hopefully she can race up to the best of her ability. She ran second at Taupo this way around (left-handed) so let’s hope it’ll suit.”
Lollapalooza currently shares the second line of betting clearly with Belle Cheval, but Richardson believes the race is far deeper than it appears.
“I don’t know what the final result will be because there’s more than just Well Written in the race,” he said.
“Ray Fleming’s horse (Savvy Donna) raced very well (in the Soliloquy) and David Archer’s filly (Belle Cheval) won well at Ellerslie. There’s six or seven in the field that could very well win this race.”
The filly he prepares in partnership with Rogan Norvall won’t be short of supporters at Riccarton, with a number of members in her Social Racing Premier Dynamic Duo Syndicate and Richardson Racing Carnival Syndicate set to be trackside.
“It’s all about the thrill they get and there are a lot of people coming down to watch which is fantastic,” Richardson said.