NZ Racing Desk Snippets

The NZ Racing Desk reports on three Te Akau horses:

Chance for Filly to Show True Worth

Luckless filly No Tricks (main picture) gets an ideal opportunity at Trentham on Saturday to turn her racing fortunes around.  She gets up to a more suitable distance in the Gr. 2 Hardy Trade Wellington Guineas and can show her true colours against a competitive line-up of three-year-olds.

No Tricks won her Taupo maiden in the spring and little has gone right for her since, but she has still performed creditably against the best of her age group.

“She had those two trips to the central districts when the Wellington Stakes was called off and then she was a late scratching from the Eulogy so hopefully this is third time lucky,” trainer Jason Bridgman said.

No Tricks' last three appearances have been at Ellerslie and on Boxing Day she was narrowly beaten by Huka Eagle.

“She came around them and got to the front, but the rider dropped the whip and Huka Eagle came back to beat her,” Bridgman said. “He then placed in the Levin Classic, so that's a strong form line.”

No Tricks subsequently ran fourth to Volkstok'n'barrell in the Gr. 2 Great Northern Guineas before a break and was doing her best work at the finish for fourth when returning in the Gr. 3 Mr Tiz Trophy.

“We freshened her up and the 1200 metres was a bit sharp for her and she needed a bit of rain to be a winning chance,” Bridgman said

“She still finished off particularly strongly on a day when they weren't making a lot of ground.  The 1400 metres on a big, roomy track at Trentham will suit her and with a little bit of give in the track we would expect her to be very competitive.”

Solid Trial for Costa Viva

Group One performer Costa Viva gained a pass mark at the Rotorua trials on Tuesday.

The four-year-old daughter of Encosta De Lago has struggled to find the form that won her the 2013 New Zealand 1000 Guineas but trainer Jason Bridgman took encouragement from her runner-up finish in a 1000-metre heat.

“It was the bob of the head and they went pretty hard with seven lengths back to the third horse,” he said.

“Sir Andrew was the only other Group winner in the field and, if she was going to get beaten, he was the only one we could have accepted getting beaten by.  She seems back to herself, but I might give her another trial before we decide on her future. She's still quite big in condition.”

Change of Tack for Vive La Difference

Autumn black-type opportunities have been identified for Vive La Difference, who will step out in today's New Zealand Bloodstock Pearl Series 1600 at Te Aroha.

Saturday's Wellfield New Zealand Oaks at Trentham had been on her programme before trainer Jason Bridgman had to change tack.

“She needs cut in the ground and we couldn't get the right preparation into her,” he said.

Vive La Difference has won one of her six starts and hasn't raced since she finished fourth in the Gr. 3 Desert Gold Stakes at Trentham in January.

“We might look at the Manawatu Classic and the Championship Stakes with her,” Bridgman said.

The Gr. 2 Championship Stakes at Ellerslie has this season been moved from New Year's Day to the Easter Handicap on April 18.