New Zealand Derby winner Road To Paris has come through his exertions in the Gr.1 Australian Derby (2400m) well, in which he finished seventh behind runaway winner Green Spaces.
The Roger James and Robert Wellwood-trained son of Circus Maximus returned to New Zealand on Tuesday and will now enjoy a well-deserved break.
“He has come through the run extremely well,” James said. “The weather on raceday was probably a lot worse than what you might have recognised on television.
“They had 18mls of rain after scratching time and then about race three we had a huge downpour again. They were still running time on the track, but Zac (Purton, jockey) came back and said he was all at sea in the ground so that was a shame really.”
Although beaten on this occasion, the Kingsclere trainers will be back in Sydney soon enough with last-start Gr.1 New Zealand Thoroughbred Breeders’ Stakes (1600m) heroine She’s A Dealer, to target some Australian black-type.
“All going well, she is going to go across for a run on the 18th in a Group Three race at Randwick, the Japan Racing Association Plate which is a 2000m quality handicap,” James said.
“She is looking for a 2000m now and there is an option for her at Te Rapa a week later (Gr.2 Travis Stakes) but the advantage of being able to get some Australian black type is pretty important for her now.”
Lightly tried five-year-old Sweynesday is also being readied for Australian targets.
The winner of 6 of his ten starts to date, Sweynesday was a last-start winner of the King’s Plate (1200m) on Champions Day at Ellerslie, having previously been placed in the Gr.1 Railway Stakes (1200m) behind Jigsaw.
“He will go through Sydney, probably have a run in the Takeover Target (Listed, 1200m) at Gosford on the way as a lead-up run to the Stradbroke Handicap (Gr.1, 1400m).
“I think the Stradbroke is an ideal race for him. Talking to the handicapper he is going to get in with around 51 kilos, so 1400m and that sort of weight, it just looks a good race for him. It’s never easy to win a Stradbroke but he is probably going to strike it at just the right time.”
Meanwhile, James was pleased to see promising three-year-old filly Solid Gold shed her maiden tag at start number five when successful over a mile at Ellerslie on Saturday. A return to that venue on April 18 will determine whether Queensland is on the radar for the daughter of Savabeel, who is a full sister to Gr.1 Australian Derby winner Major Beel.
“Solid Gold is a filly that we have held in high regard for a long time. She’s a big girl but she put it together nicely on Saturday.
“She will go to the Trelawney Stud Championship Stakes (Gr.3, 2100m) at Ellerslie and if she is able to acquit herself well, we will probably consider a Queensland program for her
“She is a sister to a Derby winner, and she has always looked a staying filly in the making.”
On a wet day at the Ellerslie trials on Tuesday, James was pleased to see stakes-placed Per Incanto two-year-old Spellbound salute over 1100m in comfortable fashion.
“I think he is a Guineas type of horse,” James said.
“He showed plenty in the spring when he was very uneven in his growing and we put him aside.
“He has grown quite a lot, but he has still got a lot of growth ahead of him and he will be a gorgeous horse in the spring going a mile.” – NZ Racing Desk
