Vela has two chances in Travis Stakes
She’s in a pretty good space but we hold no false illusions — it’s a very strong edition of the Travis Stakes this year. Garry Cossey
Sir Peter Vela will look forward to today’s Travis Stakes with t wo chances of adding to his previous three wins in the weight- for- age fillies and mares’ feature.
Sir Peter and his late brother Philip first won the race, then known as the Dulcie Stakes, with Christiania Belle in 1993 before adding success through Dolmabache in 2012 and Rasa Lila last year.
Rasa Lila is back to defend her title for Maungatautari trainers Steven Ramsay and Julia Ritchie today and will be joined by the Stephen Autridge and Jamie Richards- trained Echezeau.
Six- year- old Darci Brahma mare Rasa Lila goes into the race as the higher- rated of the pair and looks an improver on her first- up sixth in the Gr. 1 New Zealand Thoroughbred Breeders’ Stakes ( 1600m) at Te Rapa three weeks ago, according to Sir Peter’s racing manager Garry Cossey.
That day she chased home Travis Stakes rivals Charmont, Thee Auld Floozie, Mime and Sofia Rosa when beaten 2 ¼ lengths.
“She needs to find a couple of lengths but she should have that improvement in her. Steven and Julia have said she has come on nicely since that run,” Cossey said.
“They are really happy with her. It’s brought her on and the three weeks between races is ideal for her. She’s in a pretty good space but we hold no false illusions — it’s a very strong edition of the Travis Stakes this year. But she should be a nice eachway chance.
“A good track suits. That’s the whole key with her so she can kick off it. She beat Thee Auld Floozie in this race last year and wasn’t far away from Kawi and Mime in the Windsor Park Plate earlier in the season. At her best, she’s right up with them,” Cossey said.
Echezeaux is the lowest- rated entry in the Travis Stakes but she resumed with a meritorious second placing at Hastings earlier this month and earlier this season won secondup at Trentham, defeating subsequent group two performer Beefeater.
“She has come back really well. Her sectionals at Hastings were very good compared to all other runners on the day,” Cossey said.
“Jamie and Stephen aren’t worried about the jump to 2000m as she is essentially a staying mare. It’s great to have Opie Bosson on and we think she can get some of it.” The Vela colours will also go around on Sopraffina in the Cambridge Premier at Te Rapa, with Cossey confident she would prove competitive, and Asama Blue at Hastings, the Haydock debut winner making her debut at Hastings after an unplaced trial. Cambridge trainer Ross McCarroll has black- type aims for his four- yearold mare Calligraphy after she toyed with her rivals in a Benchmark 75 at Tauranga on Thursday. Returning from a brief let- up, Calligraphy was prominent throughout under apprentice Sam Weatherley and always travelling like the winner. “She showed a really good turn of foot and I thought she was impressive,” McCarroll said. “She was getting a bit tired towards the end of her last preparation and we gave her three weeks off. She has come back much better.” Calligraphy has fashioned a good record of four wins and four placings from just 11 starts. “While she is well, we have to have a go at blacktype.” The Gr. 3 Classic Cuisine Rotorua Stakes ( 1400m) on May 13 is a likely target for the daughter of Perfectly Ready. Trainer John Moore has declared the New Zealand- bred Werther spot on for tomorrow’s Gr. 1 Audemars Piguet Queen Elizabeth II Cup at Sha Tin after the son of Tavistock’s final workout. The five- year- old rounded off his preparation when he galloped 1200 metres with the final 200 in 22.9. He was ridden by Sam Clipperton, who was deputising for race day jockey Hugh Bowman. “I’m very pleased, we’re going in with confidence,” Moore said. “Sam said he was really strong to the line here and very strong through the line. “He said the horse wasn’t going to pull- up, he was going on, so that’s very indicative of what the feedback was at this time last year. We’re going in with a very fit horse. He’s bang on.” Tony Pike already knows which path he’ll be taking with his smart, but inexperienced filly Ujjayyi next season. “The issue with her is going left- handed so she probably won’t run in the early fillies’ races and we’ll wait for a little bit later on when they get back to Ellerslie,” the Cambridge trainer said. Pike produced Ujjayyi for an impressive debut win at Te Aroha before she ran off on the turn in the Gr. 2 Matamata Breeders’ Stakes. The daughter of Iffraaj then finished a close sixth in the Gr. 1 Sistema Stakes back right- handed at Ellerslie before she was turned out. “She would probably have run in the money there if she wasn’t taken on in front,” Pike said.