Promising juvenile Tale Of The Gypsy will head to Ellerslie on Sunday for the first time with an aim to return to the venue later this month for a shot at a million-dollar prize.
The Written By filly entered her debut last Saturday at Te Aroha with no trials, but for a lack of experience she made up in raw talent, overcoming the outside barrier draw and a three-wide trip to score comfortably over her stablemate Miss Moet All.
Tale Of The Gypsy earned $10,360 in prizemoney for the victory, placing her currently at 22 on the order of entry (18 on conditional entry) for the $1 million TAB Karaka Millions 2YO (1200m), to be run at Ellerslie on January 25.
A strong result in Sunday’s Trackside.co.nz (1200m) would greatly enhance her chances of contesting the race, and her trainer Stephen Marsh is hopeful she can secure her spot despite the quick back-up.
“That is very much our aim, I thought she was very good on debut,” Marsh said.
“They haven’t looked after us and she’s got another outside gate again being seven of seven, and she’s going to need a bit of luck being her first time at Ellerslie.
“It’s a big ask backing up after eight days, but she’s got the right temperament and she’s a strong filly.
“We’ll just need some luck from the draw.”
Marsh will have a number of other runners at the Ellerslie meeting, but prior to that his focus will be at Tauranga on Friday, where last-start Taupo Cup (2000m) winner Doddle will take her place in the Ray White Greerton (2100m).
“She was brilliant at Taupo, she enjoyed a good solid speed and she’s beaten a nice field,” he said.
“The small field here will suit, she’s trained on well and gets in nicely at the weights again so she should be right in it.
“I think the more she matures, she may get further. She used to go quite hard in her races, but she’s slowly getting better and better and is really learning her trade. She’s a mare that will continue to improve with time and more racing.”
Talented pairing Glamour Tycoon and C’est Moi will both feature in the Social Club Greerton (1200m), with the former coming out of a sizzling Ellerslie field on Boxing Day where she finished third to Grande Gallo and Irish Legacy.
“I thought her two runs this time in have been great, it’s a shame about the sticky draw, but I’ve got Michael McNab in the saddle,” Marsh said.
“She’s going great guns, so any amount of luck would see her very hard to beat.
“I’ve been thrilled with the way C’est Moi is coming up, 1200 will be short of her best and I certainly don’t expect her to win, but I think she’s in for a good preparation.”
Skyman will step down in class after running seventh in a top-flight edition of the Gr.1 Zabeel Classic (2000m) last start when taking on the Simply Law Greerton (1600m). The highly-rated nine-year-old will benefit from apprentice jockey Ngakau Hailey’s two-kilogram claim, but he will still give away a minimum of six kilograms to every other horse in the race.
“His run was okay (in the Zabeel Classic), he got back and never really got in the race,” Marsh said. “He may be better suited to a shorter trip these days, so bringing him back to a mile really suits.
“He’s got to carry a decent weight which won’t make it easy, but he’s trained on well and he should find the class in the race more to his liking.” – LOVERACING.NZ News Desk
