Passiflora will provide her connections with a sound guide at Tauranga as to where she sits in the three-year-old pecking order.
Trainers Steven Ramsay and Julia Ritchie will see how their daughter of Farnan handles a rise in class in the Armory Standing At Mapperley Stud 3YO (1200m) before plotting their next move.
“It will give us a good line on where we go with her, she’s not overly big and it will be a good test for her,” Ramsay said.
“We’ll see how she goes on Saturday and if she runs very well then we’ll be looking for some black-type for her.”
Due to the wet weather, Passiflora made her debut on the synthetic track at Cambridge last month and impressed with a front-running victory under Jasmine Fawcett, who has retained the ride at Tauranga.
“She was really good, she has got quite a bit of speed and had to do quite a bit of work from the outside gate, so we were pretty happy with her,” Ramsay said.
“It was on the poly track, and I know everybody is in the same boat, but she’s been ready to go for a while.
“We’ve been waiting on the better tracks and the right three-year-old race, so we gave her a trial to keep her ticking over for this one and she was good again.”
Raced by breeder Sir Peter Vela, Passiflora is a daughter of the talented Charm Spirit mare Lilikoi, who won the Gr.3 Eulogy Stakes (1600m).
Ramsay is also expecting improvement from Island Life when she steps out in the Aztec Signs Handicap (1600m) with Craig Grylls booked for the ride.
She showed her quality last season with success in the Gr.3 Sunline Vase (2100m), and the stable wasn’t disappointed with her unplaced resuming effort over 1400m earlier this month.
“Even though she only finished 11th at Ellerslie, it was still quite a good run,” Ramsay said.
“She drew wide and had to go back from the gate and her last 200m was quite good. She’s getting up to a mile, which I think is her pet distance, so from four at the gate she should get quite a good run.
“She won her first race at the corresponding meeting last year, so she obviously likes Tauranga.”
The stable’s other runner over the weekend is Empirical, who runs at Woodville on Sunday in the Blooming Candles Maiden (1600m) with Leah Hemi in the saddle.
The Eminent three-year-old was unplaced on debut and the step up to a mile is also expected to suit him.
“I quite like him, he’s a lovely type and he got back last at Taupo and his sectionals on the day were quite good,” Ramsay.
“The distance will suit him a lot better and, again, a good chance to get a better line on him.” – LOVERACING.NZ News De
