A Kiwi trained half-sister by Snitzel to Australian Group II winner Estriella, promising filly Love Poem is set to race at Randwick on Saturday and has a three-quarter brother to be offered at Inglis Easter on Sunday by Arrowfield Stud.
Stephen Marsh believes all the key indicators point to his well-bred three-year-old Love Poem giving her Australian rivals a serious run for their money at Randwick on Saturday.
The Cambridge trainer will be trackside for Love Poem’s Australian debut in the Gr.3 PJ Bell Stakes (1200m) and can only see positives ahead of the opening leg of her two-start offshore campaign.
“She’s great, she travelled over on Tuesday and hasn’t turned a hair,” he said.
“She’s drawn well, the track should be beautiful, set weights and penalties suits her so we couldn’t be happier. I think she’s right in it.”
Love Poem has fashioned the excellent domestic record of two wins and five stakes placings, including a runner-up finish in the Gr.1 New Zealand 2000 Guineas (1600m) behind top colt Savaglee.
The only time she has finished out of the top three was a week later at Riccarton when fourth in the fillies’ classic.
She then went for a break and booked her passage across the Tasman when successfully resuming at Tauranga over 1200m earlier this month.
Should Love Poem run up to expectations in the hands of Jason Collett, she will make one more appearance before returning to New Zealand.
“There’s another race over 1400m (Gr.3, James HB Carr Stakes) in two weeks’ time at Randwick and then she’ll definitely come home and have a nice spell and get ready for the spring,” Marsh said.
Raced by Wellingtonian Lib Petagna, the Snitzel filly was purchased for A$280,000 from breeder Arrowfield Stud’s draft at the Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale and is out of a half-sister to multiple Group One winner and leading sire Pierro.
Arrowfield will offer her yearling three-quarter brother by The Autumn Sun as Lot 43.
LOVERACING.NZ News Desk
