Australian Options for Gingernuts

The Informant reports:

A decision is expected within days whether Vodafone New Zealand Derby winner Gingernuts will have a late season campaign at the Sydney autumn or Queensland winter carnivals.

Te Akau Racing principal David Ellis, still excited at his operation's first win in the country's premier classic, has had preliminary discussions with trainers Stephen Autridge and Jamie Richards and anticipates a decision this week.

“We'll start by having a really good look at Sydney, so provided they're happy with how the horse has come through his race, I've asked Steve and Jamie to look at the options and come up with a recommendation,” Ellis told www.theinformant.co.nz. “We'll then sit down and have a chat probably on Tuesday and go from there.”

The obvious Sydney target would be the A$2 million Australian Derby on the first day of The Championships at Randwick on April 1, with the possibility of a lead-up run in the A$600,000 Rosehill Guineas on March 18. As was the case with the New Zealand Derby, a late entry will need to be lodged for the Australian Derby, with deadline for the A$44,000 payment March 28.

If Sydney is ruled out, the option for Gingernuts would be the Queensland carnival, with plans already in hand for a powerful Te Akau contingent to head to Brisbane in May.

“I was talking to Mark (Walker) about his Derby win and he made the comment that he looks like he's just coming to it now, that he's still on the way up.

“That's pretty exciting when you think about, and it also says he's got a big future this season. I was already thinking he might be an ideal Caulfield Cup horse, so there's any number of possibilities.

“We'll be taking quite a team to Brisbane, probably six or seven,” added Ellis. “Hall Of Fame and Heroic Valour are already confirmed and they'll return to work at the Matamata stable this week. Another is Splurge, who has really hit his straps lately, he's on the list too.

“Zambezi Warrior is a horse we should be able to place in the staying races there and we're also considering taking one or two of our later developing two-year-olds. Cousteau, who ran a good second on debut last week, is one of them, plus there might be something that has yet to be tried.”