O’Sullivan- Scott trio have bases covered in features
Wexford Stables trainers Lance O’Sullivan and Andrew Scott have the feature bases covered for Ellerslie today.
The Matamata training partnership will seek to defend their Manco Easter Stakes title with Sound Proposition and will tackle the Valachi Downs Championship Stakes ( 2100m) with Charles Road and the Diamond Lodge Championship Stakes ( 1600m) with Miss Foxy Gal.
“It’s an exciting day for the stable,” Scott said.
It was certainly an exciting day for the stable at the same meeting last year when Savabeel gelding Sound Proposition claimed his first group one win in the Easter Stakes ( 1600m), though he won’t add to his group one tally this weekend with the race since downgraded to group two status.
“He’s going in to the race in similar form to last year. He worked his way through the ranks and his form coming through the grades looked good on paper,” Scott said.
“This year, he’s had a more interrupted preparation and he went firstup over 2000m [ in the group one New Zealand Stakes] but he put the writing on the wall that day with a terrific run for third.
“He was a bit unlucky. He got stuck in behind a wall of horses but he hit the line strongly once he got clear. He’s trained on well since and Mickey Coleman is happy with him.
“We’re pleased with where he’s at with his body weight and condition and we expect him to go well.”
Sound Proposition has won four of his 15 starts, three of those wins from 11 starts at Ellerslie.
“He’s got a great course record and we think he’ll run really well again,” Scott said.
Charles Road got a deserved laststart win in the Manawatu Classic ( 2000m) at Awapuni after chasing Gingernuts home at his previous two — for second in the Avondale Guineas ( 2100m) and sixth in the New Zealand Derby ( 2400m), both at Ellerslie.
“Sam Weatherley rides him in all his work and he tells us he’s not going backwards at all,” Scott said.
“We were waiting for him to tell us he’d had enough but he’s holding up well in both form and condition. He knows his way around Ellerslie and we think he’s at least a top- three chance again.” Scott said no dis- cussion had taken place about plans past today should Charles Road win again but conceded thoughts would be given to joining Sound Proposition en route to Brisbane for a tilt at the Queensland Derby ( 2400m) at Eagle Farm on June 10.
Sound Proposition’s Brisbane goal could be the Doomben Cup ( 2000m) on May 20 should he win today, with the Chairman’s Handicap ( 2000m) seven days earlier an alternative kickoff point.
O’Sullivan and Scott’s representative in the Champagne Stakes is promising Foxwedge filly Miss Foxy Gal, who chased race rivals Qiji Phoenix, Weather With You and Aquamosa at Ellerslie last start. “We’re expecting her to run well,” Scott said.