Virtuoso performance on cards
Any improvement in the conditions at New Plymouth will boost the chances of consecutive wins for Virtuoso Lad.
The lightly-raced four-year-old broke through at his third appearance at Tauranga last time out and will chase a follow up Rating 65 victory in the Landmark Homes 1300m today.
‘‘I’d like the track to come back a point, he’s a top of the ground horse,’’ trainer Karen Fursdon said.
‘‘He didn’t like it at Avondale where there was a huge shower before the races so I’ll just keep an eye on things.’’
By Exceed And Excel, Virtuoso Lad was ridden last time out by the in-form Troy Harris who has again been booked for the Taranaki meeting.
‘‘Troy was very taken with him last time and said he’s still learning and is a progressive horse,’’ Fursdon said.
Also fitting into that category is Virtuoso Lad’s younger stablemate Le Sablier, who has been turned out after acquitting herself well against the best of her age group.
‘‘She’s gone out for a spell, she’s been tremendous and we’re looking forward to the spring with her,’’ Fursdon said.
The Tavistock filly has yet to win a race, but went close when runner-up at both Rotorua and Hastings before she came from the tail of the field to finish fifth in the Lowland Stakes (2100m).
Le Sablier was then out of the money in the New Zealand Oaks (2400m).
‘‘She was alright in the Oaks, when they quickened she couldn’t go with them,’’ Fursdon said.
‘‘She didn’t like it on the fence either, she needs to get out into the open like she did in the Lowland.’’
The focus of an international thoroughbred operation with a major New Zealand presence will centre on Sydney this weekend.
Lang Lin’s Inner Mongolia Rider Horse Industry will have two representatives in Saturday’s A$2 million Gr.1 Australian Derby (2400m), a race they won in 2015 with their subsequent dual New Zealand Horse of the Year Mongolian Khan.
Dual winner Mongolian Marshall shows his style Photo: Trish Dunell
He was prepared at Cambridge by Murray Baker and Andrew Forsman, who also guide the fortunes of the emerging threeyear-old Mongolian Marshal and he will be joined in the Randwick classic by the Stephen Autridge and Jamie Richards-trained Mongolianconqueror.
‘‘Both horses are in top form and drawing six is good for Mongolianconqueror, but the other one has drawn out (20) and he will need some luck, it will depend on the pace of the race,’’ said Simon Poon, Rider Horse Industry’s Corporate Director of Racing and General Manager.
Opie Bosson will ride the New Zealand Derby (2400m) runner-up Mongolianconqueror, who finished off well for eighth in the Rosehill Guineas (2000m), and Craig Williams is booked for Mongolian Marshall.