Well-performed mare Our Jumala (NZ) (Zed) is back to her best following a recent hiccup and is in the right order to add to her black-type record.
The six-year-old will head north for the Listed Campbell Infrastructure Rotorua Cup (2200m) on Saturday with jockey Craig Grylls to continue his association with the Robbie Patterson-trained representative.
Grylls guided Our Jumala to victory in the Gr.3 Cuddle Stakes (1600m) three runs back before they finished in behind the major players in the Gr.3 Manawatu Breeders’ Stakes (2050m) and Gr.2 Travis Stakes (2000m).
“She just wasn’t 100 percent at Wanganui, we had a couple of issues with her health going into that,” Patterson said.
“She was then just a little bit too fresh for the Travis and raced too fiercely, but that will take the edge off her for Saturday, and she should race kinder.”
Patterson believed her Cuddle Stakes performance was a more genuine guide to her chances at Rotorua.
“The Cuddle was a strong field when she beat Pearl Of Alsace, she is finally maturing and being by Zed it’s taken a while,” he said.
“She’s been a horse that has had niggles through immaturity, the trip should suit her and with that last run under her belt and two weeks between races she should relax a lot better.
“As long as it’s a nice, autumn heavy type of track it will suit her.”
Another bold showing in the Rotorua Cup will confirm winter targets for Our Jumala.
“We’ll keep going and probably head to Wanganui for the weight-for-age race (Listed AGC Training Stakes, 1600m) and then freshen her up for the Opunake Cup (Listed, 1400m) and on to Riccarton for the Winter Cup (Gr.3, 1600m),” Patterson said.
The stable will also have a strong hand in the Rating 75 contest at Trentham on Saturday with Belladonna Lily, Bay Express and Ragamuffin to cross swords in the West Coast Sponsored by Wairepo Herefords (1600m).
The former was a sound fourth before circumstances brought about her defeat on the course last time out.
“Belladonna Lily will be the best chance, she likes Trentham and especially if there is rain about,” he said.
“They absolutely walked in front and she was out the back. She had to make a mid-race move and then they sprinted, it was just one of those farcically run races.”
“Ragamuffin has got to start putting his foot in the till and Bay Express has won his last two.
“They were both at home (New Plymouth) and they were in soft races so he’s going up a couple of grades and we’ll find out where we are with him. “He’s another one that will appreciate the sting out of the track.”