Favourite ready for Hastings
Trainer Graham Richardson won’t be losing any sleep worrying about the weather ahead of a group one tilt for star mare Volpe Veloce at Hastings on Saturday.
The Matamata conditioner prepares the ruling $3 favourite for the Gr.1 Tarzino Trophy in partnership with Gavin Parker, with the Hastings track currently rated a Slow7 and more rain forecast.
“You start thinking too much and stressing about the weather,” Richardson said.
“She’s well, we’ve done what we have to do and what will be, will be.
“She galloped on Tuesday at Matamata and did not handle the wet conditions at all, but Matamata is very heavy and Hastings is a different story.”
Volpe Veloce has won eight of her nine career starts and commenced her four-year-old season in impressive fashion with a dominant victory at Te Rapa.
Meanwhile, Griffin and Summer Monsoon will begin their quest for age group honours at Hastings on Saturday. They will resume for trainers Stephen Autridge and Jamie Richards in the Listed El Roca – Sir Colin Meads Trophy.
“They are both nice three-yearolds on their way to the Guineas races, hopefully ending up at Riccarton,” said Richards referring to the Gr.1 Al Basti Equiworld 2000 Guineas.
A brother to Gingernuts, Griffin won his only start last term and he will be ridden by Michael Coleman while Summer Monsoon will be handled by Cameron Lammas, who won on the colt at Te Rapa last year.
Reigning Melbourne Cup champion Almandin is among 140 entries for the 2017 Melbourne Cup (3200m) at Flemington on November 7.
Trainer Robert Hickmott has a further 11 entries for the race as he aims to deliver a sixth Cup to owner Lloyd Williams.
Australia’s leading trainer Darren Weir has entered 17 horses including the former Kiwi Humidor, who went on to win the Australian Cup for Weir.
A total of 10 New Zealand-trained horses have been nominated for the A$6 million feature headed by a trio of group one winners from the stable of champion trainers Murray Baker and Andrew Forsman in Bonneval, Jon Snow and Lizzie L’Amour.
Te Akau Racing’s Stephen Autridge and Jamie Richards have nominated dual group one winner Gingernuts and Sydney Cup fifth placegetter Chance To Dance.
Other Kiwi-trained nominations include Charles Road (Lance O’Sullivan and Andrew Scott), Chocante (Stephen Marsh), Megablast (Nigel Tiley), Pentathlon (John Wheeler) and Rock On (Gary Vile).
A total of 26 New Zealand-bred horses are entered. Among them is the Whanganui-owned galloper Who Shot Thebarman, who is nominated for his fourth Cup after running third (2014), 10th (2015) and fifth (2016).