Emerging stayer Mollify looks to have another gilt-edged opportunity to further her record on Friday and progress toward more lucrative middle-distance assignments.
The Cambridge Stud-bred and owned daughter of So You Think has thrived in a more rural environment since returning from Australia and promises another bold showing in The Duncan Dental Tauranga Twilight Cup (2100m).
Mollify can kick-start a potentially lucrative weekend for the farm and private trainer Lance Noble with Jaarffi, Frostfair and Daring Dame in action at Te Rapa on Saturday.
She has won two of her last three starts, with a placing in between times, and impressed most recently at Pukekohe where she successfully debuted over ground.
“It looks the perfect race for her, she’s hit her straps and it was a very good win last time, so it fits in nicely for her,” Noble said.
“After this, she can either go to the Dunstan Stayers’ (2400m) or we may even consider the Queen Elizabeth (Gr.3, 2400m) on New Year’s Day.”
Mollify was previously in Victoria with Peter Moody and Katherine Coleman, and from a handful of appearances broke her maiden at Cranbourne and was twice placed.
“She came back at the end of her three-year-old career, Peter said she might not measure up to black-type races over there, but he didn’t give her too many starts,” Noble said.
“She has come home and developed and with the extra six months she has physically matured, and the farm environment here definitely helps mares.
“It’s nice and relaxing for them and haven’t got the stress of a big training centre with a lot going on. I’m not saying I’ve improved the horse but rather benefitted from the extra time she’s been given and Peter hadn’t over-raced her.”
Retained jockey Warren Kennedy will partner Mollify and her three stablemates at Te Rapa.
Jaarffi will chase a breakthrough victory there in the Gr.2 Cal Isuzu Stakes (1600m) after luckless lead-up placings in the Gr.2 Auckland Thoroughbred Breeders’ Stakes (1400m) and Listed Legacy Lodge Sprint (1200m).
The gifted Iffraaj mare has won four times up to a mile, and finished runner-up in the Gr.1 New Zealand Thoroughbred Breeders’ Stakes (1600m) and will be tested over further in the immediate future.
“She’s been the bridesmaid a few times and been all around it, she’s really well and hopefully she won’t get into any traffic problems,” Noble said.
“We’re going to roll the dice and then see if she can step up to 2000m in the Zabeel Classic (Gr.1), it’s obviously a race the stud would love to win again (after Snazzytavi).”
Written Tycoon mare Frostfair will tackle the Gr.3 J Swap Sprint (1400m) after close-up finishes at Ellerslie and Tauranga.
“She had a lot of form last season and looked like she’d get black type, but she’s taken a bit longer to come up and I’ve been happy with her last couple of runs,” Noble said.
“While she is at the bottom of the handicap, we’ll have a crack at this one, and if she runs well we would consider going to the Rich Hill Mile (Gr.2, 1600m).”
Daring Dame had no luck when unplaced last time out and the Almanzor four-year-old can turn her fortunes around in the Dunstan Horsefeeds Stayers’ Championship Qualifier (2200m).
“She was coming up on the inside quite nicely when she got chopped out, I’m not saying she would have won, but she would have put herself right in the mix,” Noble said.
“The gap was there before one on the outside closed it and Warren had to check, she had a lot more to give.
“We’ve put a line through that and given a clear run on Saturday, we expect her to run very well.” – LOVERACING.NZ News Desk
