Juliette pursues million- dollar dream
Brendon Hawtin has nothing to lose and much to gain by putting promising filly Juliette into the Wakefield Challenge Stakes ( 1200m) at Trentham today.
The Waikato trainer goes into the 2- year- old feature seeking important black- type status for the Poet's Voice filly, who races in the colours of majority owner Tommy Heptinstall.
“She ran fourth at her last start in the Murdoch Newell [ listed race at Pukekohe] so we think she deserves her chance,” Hawtin said.
“She just came to the end of it the other day, but that race has tightened her up beautifully. It's only a small field of eight runners for $ 100,000. It's a group two race and she's a filly so if she could get some black- type we'd be over the moon.
“She's going very well and we think she'll be very competitive.”
Juliette is rated a $ 7.20 third favourite in the TAB’s fixed odds market.
Gift Of Power, who is unbeaten in t wo starts culminating in her Wellesley Stakes win at Trentham, opened as the $ 1.95 favourite, ahead of Ruakaka debut winner Melody Belle at $ 3.30.
If Juliette can snare a significant share of the Wakefield stake it would go a long way to securing her a start in the Karaka Million ( 1200m) at Ellerslie on January 29 — Hawtin's long- range target for the filly.
“Tommy races Waldorf and the Karaka Million is his aim as well. He's a long way down the road to making the field, so it would be great if we could get this filly in as well,” Hawtin said.
Gerard Moughan has bred his share of horses, but his experience with Exhibit will always be something special. “She’s the first one we’ve delivered ourselves — my wife Vera was a midwife for 15 years so I had her to call on,” he said.
Exhibit made the perfect start to her racing career for the Havelock North couple last month when she coasted home over 1200m at Woodville. The David Goldsbury- trained filly will be tried at 1400m in the gavelhouse. com 3YO Premier at Trentham.
“It’s early days yet and we don’t want to get carried away, but she does look quite exciting,” Moughan said.
“She’s much better on top of the ground and she’s got a lot of ability. We’ve had a couple of offers for her already. Like everybody in the Central Districts, we have been waiting for a good track.”
Moughan has tasted group one success as co- breeder and part- owner of the 1997 Railway Handicap winner Kailey. He is hoping Exhibit can add to that record should she line up in the Levin Classic at Trentham in January.
“It’s a dream and you never know what can happen,” he said.
Meanwhile further north, laststart winner Orphea has earned a shot at stakes company and her performance will guide Auckland trainer Lance Noble on her summer programme.
Highly regarded by the stable, the Fastnet Rock filly broke her maiden with a narrow but impressive win at Avondale in October at her second appearance to secure a start in the Schneider Electric Mufhasa Stakes ( 1300m) at Ellerslie today.
“We're really happy with her. It's a pretty even field looking at it on paper — full of one- win horses,” Noble said.
“Everyone will be a lot wiser after the race. I'd say most connections are testing the water to see how they measure up at this level.
“We've always rated her highly so how she runs will determine whether we tackle black- type fillies’ races or we bring her up through the grades.”
Noble, private trainer for Orphea's owners Brendan and Jo Lindsay, was pleased with the 3- year- old’s progress since her Avondale win.
“Her work has been excellent since her win and she's got a good draw in barrier four,” Noble said.
“Leith [ Innes, regular rider] has said the firmer the track the better and the forecast is good for the weekend so that's going to suit her too.”