Te Akau Fillies Target Warstep Stakes

Raceform's Matt Markham reports -

Extra distance to favour Perlino in Warstep Stakes

Perlino will attempt to improve on her third placing in the NZB Insurance Stakes a fortnight ago when she steps out in the Listed New Zealand Bloodstock Warstep Stakes at Riccarton on Saturday.

Sam Bergerson is happy to be led by the opinion of Opie Bosson leading into this week’s New Zealand Bloodstock Warstep Stakes at Riccarton, and it’s an opinion that has one half of the Te Akau training partnership allowing for a bit of confidence in the $80,000 Listed feature. 

Bosson was down in the south earlier this month to ride a number of the stable’s South Island-based runners and jumped off promising Perlino after her third in the NZB Insurance Stakes excited about the prospect of getting the daughter of Super Seth out over the longer distance. 

“We took a lot of stock out of Opie’s opinion there,” Bergerson said. 

“He said while she ran well, she never felt like being the winner, but getting up over that extra distance was really going to bring her right into contention so we’ve been looking forward to this week ever since.” 

A $120,000 purchase by David Ellis at Karaka in 2024, Perlino has been a slow and steady prospect for the team, having two starts in the north before heading to Canterbury and the Riccarton stable. 

She won first-up at Riccarton back in February, beating a handy maiden field, which led to a trip to Wingatui for the Dunedin Guineas where she was trapped three wide throughout. 

Another win at Riccarton two starts back, where she again raced wide, was followed by the third in the NZB Insurance Stakes two weeks ago. 

“We’re probably still yet to see the absolute best of her, but the hope is that by getting out to the 2000 metres that we’ll get that chance. 

“It’s not easy though, there’s a bit of depth to the three-year-old racing down there in the South Island at the moment, we’ve had a number of runners through the Guineas races and the likes and there’s some quality there. 

“Then you go and throw the likes of Marshy’s (Stephen Marsh) horse into this week, who was super last time out, and it becomes even harder.” 

Marsh’s runner is Circus Trix, who ran an absolute belter in the Gr.3 Manawatu Classic at Trentham last month when finishing second behind Geneva, form that should stack up really well this weekend. 

Bergerson said the reports from the Canterbury team since Perlino’s last start had been encouraging leading into this week. 

“Hunter (Durrant, assistant trainer) and the team have been very happy with her, she’s starting to strengthen right up and has done everything right in between runs. 

“She looks to be a really nice prospect this week and we’re hoping for a strong performance in what looks like a really even field.” 

 Bruno Queiroz will take the ride on Perlino on Saturday while Triston Moodley jumps on board stablemate Aishiteru, who also comes out of the Insurance Stakes. 

“She was probably just a little one-paced that day, but we did expect her to improve with that run under the belt. 

“Like Perlino, getting out over the 2000 metres is going to be a great help to her, we think, so we’re hoping for an improved run this week because at her best, she’s capable of being very competitive.” 

The stable will chase black-type success in all three of the features on a super day of racing out of Riccarton on Saturday and hold a really strong hand in the Listed Daphne Bannan Memorial Great Easter Stakes with Trobriand. 

He brings some of the best form in Canterbury into the $80,000 feature, having finished second behind Toa Haka at Ashburton at the start of the month prior to that runner prevailing in the $350,000 TAB Southern Alps Challenge a fortnight ago. 

“It looks a really good form line now doesn’t it?,” Bergerson laughed. “He was really good that day too and we’re excited to push him back out to the 1400 metres this week. 

“He’s raced over that distance before, but he seems a bit stronger this time in and he’s in a really good frame of mind at the moment. 

“I think a key factor too is that Bruno seems to get on with him really well and they click as a combination.” 

In a race headlined by star Otago galloper Inflamed but also featuring some great types like Witz End, Spot On Time, Texas Dolly, Riverplate and emerging star Iron Hawk, success won’t be easy. 

“It’s another really even field with plenty of chances, but it does look like we're going to get into the race pretty well at the weights and we’re really happy with the horse, so he will get a great chance to make his mark.” 

There’s a lot of interest in the chances of What You Wish For in Saturday’s Gr.3 Coca Cola Canterbury Gold Cup too, with the five-year-old gelding having endured plenty of travel in the past few months. 

“He was actually down in Canterbury and being aimed at Wingatui and one of the features there but he unfortunately pulled a muscle and never made it down.  So we instead sent him back up to Wellington and he ran two great races there.” 

Second behind Who Knows in the first appearance, What You Wish For then finished fifth behind He’s A Doozy in the Gr.2 Awapuni Gold Cup a week later, beaten by under three and a half lengths. 

“He spent some time at my Dad’s place in between runs and then made his way back down to the Riccarton base for this week, which will likely be his final run for the campaign. 

“He worked with Matscot earlier this week and had a really good hitout and the reports back have been all really encouraging. 

“Again, it’s another really even and deep field, but all things being equal, he looks to be one of our stronger chances across all racing for the weekend, we think.”