Feature within grasp of Diorissimo
ASHBURTON husbandandwife trainers Matthew and Sarah Smith will bag the biggest win of their careers if Diorissimo can justify her favouritism for today’s Spring Classic at Riccarton.
The 7yrold goes into the 2000m listed feature on the back of two good second placings in her last two starts.
If Diorissimo can go one better the Smiths will win their first listed or group race.
‘‘I would love to see her in the top three and get some black type,’’ Sarah Smith said.
The mare backed up her second in the New Zealand Cup Trial on September 21 with a big effort for the same result behind Lochan Ora in the North Canterbury Cup three weeks ago.
‘‘It was a really good run in the North Canterbury Cup last start,’’ Smith said.
‘‘She did a bit of extra work out wide on the turn.’’
Diorissimo and rider Samantha Wynne should get a nice run close to the pace today from barrier 3.
‘‘With her draw . . . she will hopefully get an easier run.
‘‘She is a really honest mare. She always puts in 100 percent. Her work has been good.’’
The Riccarton track was rated a slow8 yesterday and the forecast is for a fine day.
‘‘She goes on a heavy and a hard surface, but she doesn’t seem to like the sticky surface, so I am hoping it dries out a little bit,’’ Smith said.
Today’s race is an important leadup to the New Zealand Cup for Diorissimo, as it is for several of her rivals.
‘‘We are aiming for the New Zealand Cup [on November 16] so she has just been building up to that.
‘‘We would like to think she would get the 3200m.’’
Wellington Cup runnerup Dee And Gee heads the market for today’s race behind Diorissimo.
The thirdfavourite, Zentessa, is in the opposite position in terms of track conditions
The 5yrold, who steps up to 2000m for the first time this campaign, has a brilliant record of three wins from five starts on slow tracks. — Additional reporting NZ Racing Desk