Apostrophe out to make a mark in Travis Stakes
One of the star training teams of the New Zealand summer are hoping to extend their black type reign just a weekend or two longer.
And with Apostrophe in the $150,000 Travis Stakes and December as favourite for the $100,000 Inglis Breeders the James/Wellwood stable could do that at Te Rapa tomorrow.
The Cambridge trainers had a stunning season headlined by Karaka Millions and Derby winner Orchestral but supported by the now Melbourne Cup-qualified Mark Twain and a deep bench of stayers and three-year-olds.
Like many northern trainers, they are getting ready to power down their team for winter after the next two Saturdays at Te Rapa but realise tomorrow boasts some serious races.
“They are ideal races for horses like Apostrophe and December at this stage of their preps,” says Robert Wellwood, who trains with Roger
James.
Apostrophe is the $1.75 favourite for the Travis after winning the Manawatū Breeders Stakes under similar conditions last start, including beating key rival Diss Is Dramatic.
“We had been waiting to get her up to middle distance and she loved it last start,” says Wellwood.
“Her finish has always been her biggest asset so now she is up to 2000m [2100m last start] she should be right where she needs to be.
“Her work this week has been as good as she has ever worked and we think she will be very hard to beat.”
Apostrophe comes in ideally under the weight-for-age conditions as a rating 95 mare carrying the same weight as others rated as low at R64 but the other horse, aside from Diss Is Dramatic, who seems to be in her class is Saint Alice.
She will also appreciate the step back up to 2000m and gets Warren Kennedy and a good draw.
The stable had two chances in an even Cambridge Breeders Stakes, one of the last black type opportunities for three-year-olds this season.
While it brings together so highclass youngsters on their way to open class careers some, such as Geriatrix and Mary Shan, are more 1600m horses than the 1200m tomorrow.
The same could be said for the James/Wellwood-trained filly Irish Legacy, who has looked to have genuine class in her short career but should excel later at 1600m.
But December is ideally placed as he has won twice at 1200m and was immensely impressive at 1300m in a good field at Taupō last start.
“We think he is a really good horse,” says Wellwood.
“That Taupō win proved to us he is a black type horse in waiting and he has worked well since so while this is a good field it looks ideal for him.”
As promising as December is the field has real class and rivals the moved $150,000 Manco Easter later in the day the meeting highlight.
With the compressed weight scale of the Easter, there look to be plenty of chances. Punters could be wise to wait until race morning when track conditions are confirmed before deciding between any of at least eight winning chances.