Te Akau Racing will be hoping to unwrap some late Christmas presents when they head to Wingatui on Boxing Day with a handful of runners.
Their charge will be led by a two-pronged attack in the Listed NZB Airfreight Stakes (1400m) courtesy of Cool Aza Rene and Marokopa Falls, who have drawn at opposite ends of the spectrum.
Group Three-winning filly Cool Aza Rene has drawn the ace marble, while Group Two performer Marokopa Falls will jump from barrier 10 in the 15-horse field.
“They bring two different form lines, but they look two really nice chances on paper,” said Sam Bergerson, who trains in partnership with Mark Walker.
Cool Aza Rene mixed her form over spring but secured her maiden stakes victory in the Gr.3 Barneswood Stakes (1400m) at Ashburton in October before running eighth in the Gr.1 New Zealand 1000 Guineas (1600m) at Riccarton last month.
She ran third behind Friday race-rival Cashla Bay in a 1000m trial at Timaru earlier this month, and Bergerson is happy with his filly going into the Boxing Day feature.
“Cool Aza Rene is a hard one to get a line on at home, but she had a freshen-up following the Guineas, she just failed to see out the mile,” he said. “Back to 1400m will hopefully suit. I thought she trialled well and she has done really well down there in the south.”
Marokopa Falls was third last start in the Listed The O’Learys Fillies Stakes (1340m) at Wanganui and that form was franked last weekend when runner-up War Princess took out the Gr.3 Eulogy Stakes (1600m) at Trentham.
“I thought Marokopa Falls was good last time at Wanganui without a lot of luck, trapped three-wide on speed but stuck on really well,” Bergerson said. “She has travelled down in good order.
“She will obviously need a bit of luck from out there (10), but she is in good form and should run well.”
On the undercard, I’m A Dirty Rascal and Elegant Lady will represent the stable in the Grand Casino Open 2200, with the former looking to bounce back to form ahead of next month’s Gr.3 NZ Campus Innovation & Sport Wellington Cup (3200m) at Trentham.
“I’m A Dirty Rascal had a bit of a funny run in the (New Zealand) Cup (Gr.3, 3200m), Gryllsy (Craig Grylls, jockey) couldn’t get him to go and then he grabbed the bridle in the last 200m and attacked the line,” Bergerson said.
“We have given him a bit of a freshen-up and the rain shouldn’t worry him too much. Hopefully he can run well and we can get him to the Wellington Cup later in January.”
Elegant Lady was runner-up on the Riccarton synthetic earlier this month after finishing eighth in the Listed Metropolitan Trophy (2600m) last month, and Bergerson is hoping she can continue her improvement on Friday where she will carry just 54.5kg.
“Elegant Lady failed to see out the 2600m at the first meeting of Cup Week and is another that has had a freshen-up,” he said. “Back to 2200m suits and she can handle a bit of sting out of the track, so she looks a nice lightweight chance.”
Stablemates High Roller and Cognoscenti also featured prominently at Riccarton Park’s synthetic meeting earlier this month, winning their respective races, and Bergerson is hoping they can bring that form to the grass in their respective ODT Southern Mile Heats (1600m) on Friday.
“High Roller is always a horse that could gallop but needed a bit of confidence,” Bergerson said. “Hopefully he got that from his first-up win with the blinkers back on, and they stay on for Friday. He has trialled well on heavy going, if it was to get heavy. He can hopefully go through the grades now.
“It was a good, positive ride by Bruno (Queiroz) on Cognoscenti (last start). He has got to take that step up to 75 grade now, which is always really tough, but hopefully he has got a bit of confidence and can continue from his good win on the poly.” – LOVERACING.NZ News Desk
