The Listed VRC Desirable Stakes (1400m) at Flemington on Saturday will see an intriguing clash between a pair of Group I winning fillies with MRC Thousand Guineas winner Another Prophet to be taken on by Group I NZ 1000 Guineas winner Captured By Love.
Te Akau Racing will have a strong hand at their home meeting at Matamata on Saturday, but their attention will also be firmly focussed on Flemington where their Group One-winning filly Captured By Love is set to make her Australian debut.
The daughter of Written Tycoon has won five of her 11 starts in New Zealand, including the Gr.1 New Zealand 1000 Guineas (1600m), and was placed in the Gr.1 Sistema Stakes (1200m) and Gr.1 Manawatu Sires’ Produce Stakes (1400m) as a juvenile.
Her only unplaced run came last month when seventh in the Gr.1 Railway (1200m) under heavy rain at Ellerslie on Karaka Millions night, and trainer Mark Walker said the wet conditions were far from ideal for his filly.
“That rain thwarted her chances,” he said. “She whacked away but she just wasn’t as effective when we had that rain.”
Captured By Love has settled in well into Te Akau’s Cranbourne base and Walker is looking forward to testing her talent in Australia for the first time in Saturday’s Listed Desirable Stakes (1400m).
“She travelled over and settled in well,” Walker said. “It has come up a pretty strong field, the One Thousand Guineas (Gr.1, 1600m) winner (Another Prophet) is in it and the number three horse (Too Darn Discreet) is a pretty good horse as well.
“It is never a walk in the park over there, that’s for sure, and it won’t be on Saturday either. But she is in good form and we are hopeful.”
A Flemington mile target awaits Captured By Love, but what that will be will be dictated by Saturday’s performance.
“We will just play it by ear after Saturday, but one option could be the Australian Guineas (Gr.1, 1600m) and another is the Kewney Stakes, a Group Two three-year-old fillies race.”
Stablemate It’s A Wild Night will also be chasing stakes success at Flemington this weekend in the Listed The Elms Handicap (1400m).
The Group One performer will be first-up on Saturday, and Walker is confident of a bold showing from the five-year-old gelding.
“It’s A Wild Night gets his chance, he is only half a kilo above the minimum in that race, so gets in nice,” Walker said.
Te Akau will also be looking for stakes success on this side of the Tasman when they take a strong contingent to Matamata.
Leading their charge will be a three-pronged attack in the Gr.3 Fairview Matamata Slipper (1200m) five-horse field, led by undefeated colt Return To Conquer, who sits atop the market at $1.55, while two-win colt To Bravery Born is on the second line of betting at $3.80, and debut winner He Who Dares is the third fancied runner at $7.
“They are three nice Snitzel colts and you can make a case for all of them,” said Walker, who trains his Matamata team in partnership with Sam Bergerson. “Sometimes those small fields can throw up surprises and it becomes a very tactical affair.
“I think Return To Conquer is our number one seed, but there isn’t a lot between the other two.”
A tilt at the Gr.1 Sistema Stakes (1200m) at Ellerslie on Champions Day, March 8, is in the offing for the trio if they perform up to expectations on Saturday.
“It is the most likely path, but they have got to front up on Saturday and perform well to continue on that path,” Walker said.
Te Akau will also have a strong line-up in the Gr.2 J Swap Contractors LTD Matamata Breeders’ Stakes (1200m), led by last start Karaka Millions 2YO (1200m) victor La Dorada.
“She is tough, like all the progeny of Super Seth,” Walker said. “He is doing an amazing job at stud. His progeny are tough and resilient, and the New Zealand industry is lucky to have him. We expect her to be a genuine winning chance on Saturday.”
She will be joined in the race by stablemates Marokopa Falls and Born To Be Royal.
“Marokopa Falls had a nice freshen-up after Wellington (when third in the Gr.2 Wakefield Challenge Stakes, 1100m) and has had a couple of exhibition gallops, so she is ready to roll,” Walker said.
“Born To Be Royal didn’t get all favours in her debut (when runner-up). It was a good debut and she isn’t there making up the numbers.”
What You Wish For will be the stable’s sole representative in the Listed Matamata Veterinary Services Kaimai Stakes (2000m), and Walker said he has conditions to suit.
“He has always promised to be competitive in the big ones,” he said. “He gets in on the minimum (53kg) and 2000m suits, so he should be thereabouts, and he has got a good record on his home track.”
While Walker is hoping for positive results throughout the nine-race card on Saturday, he said it would be sentimental to win the Listed Lisa Chittick Champagne Stakes (1400m), the first time it will be run at stakes level.
“It would be very special to win Lisa’s race, she was a very dare friend of everyone’s, and it would be an honour to win her race,” Walker said.
The stable will have two chances to do so with Group One winner Skew Wiff and last start Gr.3 Phar Lap Trophy (1600m) winner My Lips Are Sealed.
“Skew Wiff is better suited to it because it is 1400m and with My Lips are Sealed, probably her best chance is a mile and beyond, but this race fits in with the Cuddle Stakes (Gr.3, 1600m) on Oaks Day.” – LOVERACING.NZ News Des
