High-quality mare She’s A Dealer will be given an early opportunity to strike again at the top level, with the daughter of Ace High set to trial ahead of a crack at next month’s Gr.1 Proisir Plate (1400m) at Ellerslie.
The five-year-old will spearhead the older division of Roger James and Robert Wellwood’s stable in the spring, while the Cambridge trainers also have an abundance of three-year-old talent in their ranks.
She’s A Dealer has won five of her 12 starts, including success in the Gr.1 New Zealand Thoroughbred Breeders’ Stakes (1600m) in breeder Rich Hill Stud’s colours.
“She will trial next Sunday at Taupo and from there we’ll probably look at heading to the Proisir Plate,” Wellwood said.
“After that, there’s the mile (Gr.1 Howden Insurance, 1600m) and then there’s multiple options for her. We’ll see how she’s going and make a plan from there.”
She’s A Dealer hasn’t raced since she finished fifth in the Gr.3 JRA Plate (2000m) at Randwick in the autumn.
Fellow mares Arabian Songbird and Grinzinger Moon are also making good progress toward later targets.
“Arabian Songbird is probably a month from a trial and we’re hoping to kick her off in the Spring Sprint (Gr.3, 1400m) on the last day at Hawke’s Bay,” Wellwood said.
The daughter of Pierro has won two of her last three starts and was spelled after running fourth in the Gr.2 Auckland Thoroughbred Breeders’ Stakes (1400m).
Grinzinger Moon was successful on four occasions in Australia before the Puissance De Lune five-year-old relocated to Cambridge and won both of her starts over 1100m at Ellerslie from her new quarters.
“She’s also probably three weeks to a month off a trial and we may look at heading down to the two sprint races (Listed Pegasus Stakes, 1000m and Listed Stewards’ Stakes, 1200m) at Christchurch and she’ll have a graded race prior to that,” Wellwood said.
Meanwhile, last season’s Gr.1 New Zealand Derby (2400m) hero Road To Paris has returned to the stable after a decent break following his midfield finish on a wet track in the Gr.1 Australian Derby (2400m).
“He’s back in but probably won’t start until later in the year, he had a reasonably big autumn so we’re certainly in no rush with him for the spring,” Wellwood said.
Among the more forward of the three-year-olds is Listed Waikato Equine Veterinary Centre Stakes (1400m) winner Excite, who enjoyed a quiet trial at Cambridge last week.
“We’re really happy with him and he’ll probably gallop at Ellerslie on August 27 and then step out in an age group race over 1400m at Ellerslie on the Group One day,” Wellwood said.
“It’s three weeks from there to the Hawke’s Bay Guineas (Gr.2, 1400m).”
Last start Listed Champagne Stakes (1600m) winner Incandescent, Spellbound and St Monica will be out and about later in the term.
“They are all a fortnight or three weeks behind Excite, he didn’t have all that long out,” Wellwood said.
Spellbound has yet to win but did place in the Listed Counties Challenge Stakes (1100m), while St Monica was successful on debut and then finished sixth in the Gr.1 Manawatu Sires’ Produce Stakes (1400m). – LOVERACING.NZ News Desk
