Pam Gerard came close to scoring Group One success in Australia earlier this month when runner-up in the Australian Guineas (1600m) with her star three-year-old Savaglee, and she is hoping she can go one better when she returns across the Tasman with a well-credentialled stablemate.
Fellow three-year-old Dubai Gold came within a long neck of upstaging hot-favourite Leica Lucy in last Saturday’s Gr.1 New Zealand Oaks (2400m) at Trentham, giving Gerard the confidence that she is up to an Australian campaign.
“She has gone super, she was amazing,” the Matamata trainer said.
“Leica Lucy had all favours - she drew one, she never left the fence, and I don’t think she went any more than 2400m. We came around them on the corner and gave it a shot. Both of them were out on their feet, it was a good effort.”
Dubai Gold had placed in the Gr.2 Lowland Stakes (2100m) at the Upper Hutt track in her last outing, and Gerard said Saturday’s Group One placing further adds to her rich pedigree.
“Her pedigree is absolutely incredible, it is out of this world,” she said. “It is very current with Tom Kitten (dual Group One winner) performing very well.
“We have always known it is a super pedigree and we always knew she was going to be an Oaks filly, she just had to get her head in the right space and she did it all at the right time.”
Gerard said the daughter of Pride Of Dubai has come through the race well and she will wait a few more days before deciding whether a Sydney autumn or Queensland winter campaign is in the filly’s best interest.
“It was a big trip, so yesterday (Sunday) she had the day out in the paddock, but she has eaten up again last night. She will have a few days in the pool and then we will assess where we are at from there,” she said.
“Fillies at this time of year that can run that far (Oaks distance) are few and far between, so it is definitely something we will assess, but we will give her a few days.
“We have got the Australian Oaks (Gr.1, 2400m) in three weeks if we think we can fly over and get another 2400m race out of her, otherwise there is The Roses (Gr.2, 2100m) and the Queensland Oaks (Gr.1, 2200m) in Brisbane, which is a bit further away.
“There are options there, but we have just got to do the right thing by the horse first and make sure we are 100 percent ready.”
Meanwhile, Gerard was pleased with the efforts of her evergreen galloper Harlech when fourth in the Hororata Gold Cup (1800m) carrying topweight of 62kg at Riccarton on Saturday.
“Harlech was super,” she said. “With 62 kilos it is just impossible, but I thought he was so brave. He out did what I thought he could do.”
The eight-year-old son of Darci Brahma recaptured form when scoring his first stakes victory in over five years when winning the Listed Hazlett Stakes (1400m) at Wingatui last month but failed to flatter when unplaced last start in the Gr.3 White Robe Lodge Weight For Age (1600m).
“We targeted that White Robe Lodge and it just all went to custard, so it is a bit disappointing because we knew that he was in super condition, but he showed us yesterday that he was still well,” Gerard said.
Harlech is now in line to head to Riccarton next month to tackle the Gr.3 Coca-Cola Canterbury Gold Cup (2000m), a race he finished runner-up in last year.
“There is not a lot for us to start in otherwise down there apart from running over 1200m, so he may just have a little spin around in an open race somewhere (before the Canterbury Gold Cup),” Gerard said. “The problem is that he carries so much weight. That is what happens when the better ones get up there, they win a couple and they end up carrying so much weight, so they are a little hard to place.”
Looking ahead to the rest of the week, Gerard is set to trek south to Hawera on Wednesday with Force of Law, who will contest the NZB Mega Maiden Series (1400m), while Lingjun Xiongfeng will likely head to Te Aroha on Saturday.
“Force of Law has been all around the mark apart from his last start. Taking him down the line might be a little bit easier,” Gerard said.
“Forget Lingjun’s last run, I am not sure what went wrong that day. He seems well and bright, so we bypassed a couple of the stronger Open races, and we will just go to a normal Open and make sure we have got him back on track and see where we are at with him.” – LOVERACING.NZ News Desk
