Te Akau Racing will hold a strong hand on Proisir Plate Day at Ellerslie on Saturday, particularly in the age group features.
Exciting three-year-old Hostility will kick-off his spring preparation in the Listed Sir Colin Meads Trophy (1200m), for which he is a $2.70 favourite with TAB bookmakers.
A $1.65 million New Zealand Bloodstock Ready to Run Sale purchase by Te Akau Racing principal David Ellis, the son of I Am Invincible impressed as a juvenile, finishing runner-up in both of his starts, including the Gr.1 Manawatu Sires’ Produce Stakes (1400m).
He has returned as a three-year-old with two trials, including victory in his 800m heat at Ellerslie last week, and trainers Mark Walker and Sam Bergerson are hoping to see him fire first-up on Saturday.
“I am excited to see him back at the races,” Sam Bergerson said. “He has trialled twice now and I thought his trial at Ellerslie was really good.
“It is hard to get a line on him because he is such a laidback colt and has been going through the motions a little bit, so blinkers go on tomorrow.
“Off his two-year-old form, I suppose he deserves favouritism, and we think he has improved both physically and mentally from two to three.”
He will be joined in the race by stablemate He Who Dares, who is also first-up after a pleasing two-year-old season, which included a second placing in the Gr.3 Matamata Slipper (1200m) and fifth placing in the Gr.1 Sistema Stakes (1200m).
“He is certainly not out of it,” Bergerson said. “He has drawn barrier one, Gryllsy (Craig Grylls, jockey) knows him really well.
“He went up there last Thursday for a gallop at Ellerslie and worked really nicely with older stablemate Cool ‘N’ Fast.
“He has got a good, positive racing style, which I think is really going to suit tomorrow.
“He worked with Hostility here (Matamata) on the course proper on Wednesday and it was very hard to split them off their work. He is very forward in the coat, so I am confident he will run really well there tomorrow.”
In the fillies’ corresponding race, the Gr.3 Gold Trail Stakes (1200m), the stable also leads the market with In Haste at $3.80.
The daughter of Snitzel will carry the TAB Cancer Society Daffodil Day silks, and if victorious, will raise $2,000 for the charity.
She won and finished runner-up in her two juvenile starts and was victorious in her first hit-out as a three-year-old over 1100m at Taupo last month, and Bergerson is confident of seeing an improved performance this weekend.
“She should improve from that first-up effort at Taupo,” he said. “I think the better track suits her as well. Opie (Bosson, jockey) said she got away with it at Taupo but struggled in the ground (Heavy9).
“I am looking forward to seeing her on a better surface (rated a Soft5 on Friday morning).
She has tidied up in the coat. We haven’t had to do too much with her from Taupo. She is not a big, robust type of filly, she doesn’t take a lot of work.
“She goes in in good order tomorrow albeit in a very strong race, so we will get a good line on her.”
Stablemate Queen’s Evidence will make her first appearance in the North Island in the race, with all three of her two-year-old starts occurring out of Te Akau’s Riccarton base, including a last-start runner-up effort in the Listed Champagne Stakes (1200m).
“She has a different form line, with the South Island form there, but I thought her trial at Te Awamutu was pleasing and she certainly warrants a shot at black-type first-up,” Bergerson said.
“She is nice and forward and her work has been really good. I am excited to see her back at the races.”
Bergerson will also have his eyes on his own filly, Too Sweet, who will line-up in the race for his father, Roydon Bergerson.
The Satono Aladdin filly arrived at Bergerson’s Matamata stable on Friday, a place she frequented a lot as a juvenile when campaigning in the north.
“She has done the trip a couple of times, so she should cope with that,” he said. “She had a bit of a quiet trial.
“Unfortunately, she has been plagued by bad barriers her whole life, which doesn’t change much on Saturday (11).”
Te Akau will also have a two-pronged attack in the Gr.1 Proisir Plate (1400m), courtesy of Qali Al Farrasha and Quintessa.
“I am excited to see both of them kick-off for hopefully exciting spring campaigns,” Bergerson said.
“Qali has got a really good record at Ellerslie. 1400m is a bit short of her best, but she is fresh and well and goes into the race in good order.
“Quintessa is back from an Australian campaign, so I am excited to see her back on New Zealand soil. She has had that one trial at Te Rapa but galloped really nicely up there at Ellerslie on Thursday.
“Quintessa is going to need a lot of luck form out there (barrier 16), but I am confident she is going to run a lot better than her odds. She is going in bright and well and we think we couldn’t have her any better. Off her best form, she is certainly capable.”
Meanwhile across the Tasman, Te Akau Racing’s exciting three-year-old filly La Dorada will test her talent against some of Australia’s best sprinters in the Gr.1 Moir Stakes (1200m) at The Valley on Saturday, where she will carry just 50kg.
She impressed as a juvenile in her homeland when winning the Gr.1 Manawatu Sires’ Produce Stakes (1400m), Karaka Millions 2YO (1200m) and Gr.2 Matamata Breeders’ Stakes (1200m), and Te Akau are hoping she can continue her golden run into her three-year-old season.
“She is arguably one of the best two-year-olds of last season,” Bergerson said. “She has got to take that next step now, but Mark (Walker) and the team are really excited.
“With the barrier draw (11), they are going to need a lot of luck. You will probably see her settle in the back half of the field. Hopefully it is a really good springboard for an exciting spring campaign for her.
“They will know a lot after Saturday, and hopefully it can culminate with a Thousand Guineas (Gr.1, 1600m) over there.
“It is an exciting day for the team on both sides of the Tasman.”
