Bonneval back and will start favourite
A change of plans will see New Zealand’s top mare Bonneval make two domestic appearances before her Sydney autumn campaign.
The high-class daughter of Makfi was originally to have headed straight to Australia to resume in Saturday week’s Group I Chipping Norton Stakes (1600m).
The Randwick mile will also mark the reappearance of Winx, but Bonneval’s connections said her presence didn’t influence their programming.
‘‘No, not at all. It’s more of a matter of getting the groundwork into her with what’s to come later on,’’ said Andrew Forsman, who trains in partnership with Murray Baker.
Bonneval will instead run in the Group I Haunui Farm WFA Classic (1600m) at Hawke’s Bay this Saturday with the Group I Bonecrusher New Zealand Stakes (2000m) to follow a fortnight later.
She has been opened a $3.50 favourite for Saturday’s Haunui Farm.
‘‘Matt Cameron will be riding her and I’d imagine he’d be sticking with her for Ellerslie,’’ Forsman said.
The multiple Group I winner Bonneval hasn’t raced since she was unplaced on a hard track in the Group I Caulfield Cup (2400m).
‘‘We’re really happy with her and Matt rode her when she trialled at Taupo the other day and it was very similar to her trial there before she went to Melbourne in the spring,’’ Forsman said.
‘‘Taupo is a tight track and she’s a bigstriding mare, Hastings will suit her a lot better.
‘‘Matt galloped her yesterday morning and he was really happy and said she had come on a lot.’’
The Group I Ranvet Stakes (2000m) at Rosehill on March 24 will open Bonneval’s Sydney campaign.
‘‘Then there’s the BMW (Tancred) and the Queen Elizabeth, it’s up to the owners and what Winx is up to, but there’s a few options for her over there,’’ Forsman said.
A bolder showing is expected from the leading New Zealand three-year-old Embellish in the Group I Australian Guineas (1600m).
The Savabeel colt has taken significant benefit from his lead-up run for sixth in the Group III C.S. Hayes Stakes (1400m) at Flemington last Saturday.
‘‘He’s come through the run really well and we couldn’t be happier with him,’’ Te Akau principal David Ellis said.
‘‘There is quite a lot of improvement in him, it was his first run in Australia and he will definitely appreciate the step up to a mile.’’
Embellish didn’t feature among the first entries for the Guineas, to be run at Flemington on Saturday week, due to an administrative oversight.
‘‘He will be nominated and he will be running,’’ Ellis said.
The Stephen Autridge and Jamie Richards-trained colt has won three of his seven starts, including a dominant display at Riccarton in the spring to claim the Group I New Zealand 2000 Guineas (1600m). – NZ Racing Desk.