Te Akau Pair Ready to Fire

The Informant reports:

After making a big impression at their home track of Matamata late last month, exciting Te Akau juveniles Sassy 'N' Smart (main picture) and Heroic Valour (below) are ready to make their presence felt at Group One level in tomorrow's (Saturday) Sistema Diamond Stakes at Ellerslie.

The pair came close to delivering a clean sweep of the two black-type two-year-old features on Matamata Breeders' Stakes day on February 27. Heroic Valour kept his unbeaten record in tact with a sparkling win in the Listed Reid & Harrison Slipper, then Sassy 'N' Smart was edged out by a nose in a brave performance after breaking from the outside gate in the Matamata Breeders' Stakes.

“Sassy 'N' Smart ran a great race in the Breeders' Stakes,” co-trainer Stephen Autridge said. “When you draw the outside gate in a race like that, things are stacked against you. But she put up a very good effort and was only just beaten.

“We believe that there's a bit of natural improvement in the filly, since that was her first start since she won the Welcome Stakes in November, so we're hoping she'll be very competitive this weekend.

“They went to Ellerslie and had a gallop on the course proper, which I think did them both a lot of good.”

“Heroic Valour is a horse who's got plenty of ability, as he showed at Matamata last time. He's still got a lot to learn, but he's learning all the time and the fact that he's got that much ability makes him a pretty exciting prospect.”

The two youngsters, whose trainers Autridge and Jamie Richards top the premiership with 66 wins so far this season, have drawn awkwardly in tomorrow's $200,000 feature with gates nine and 10 respectively. They will start just inside the Karaka Million winner Xiong Feng, who has drawn 11.

But connections are confident of bold showings from both horses tomorrow, particularly after a pleasing gallop at Ellerslie on Tuesday morning where they ran their last 600 metres in 34.43 seconds.

“They've both done very well since Matamata,” Autridge said. “They went to Ellerslie and had a gallop on the course proper, which I think did them both a lot of good. They had their raceday jockeys on board and got a good look at the track.

“Matt Cameron had the choice of rides and has gone with the filly, but we think both are very good chances. Jonathan Riddell has the mount on Heroic Valour.”

Xiong Feng is unbeaten in three starts, including a superb all-the-way win in the Karaka Million on January 24. His draw of 11 is far from ideal, but he is another who worked strongly at Ellerslie on Tuesday morning.

“He's had a fair gap between races but that hasn't worried him in the past,” co-trainer Stephen McKee told NZ Racing Desk. “I think he's ready to run well again.

“Obviously there's a whole lot of newcomers coming through at this time of the year and it looks like the field has a lot of depth.”

Xiong Feng isn't the only runner in the race for McKee and training partner Eddie Chippendale. They have also entered the Wellesley Stakes winner Tennessee, while talented filly O'Rachael is on the ballot.

Ruakaka trainers Donna Logan and Chris Gibbs will be represented by Reid & Harrison Slipper runner-up Mongolian Falcon, Murdoch Newell Stakes winner The Soultaker and last-start Te Rapa winner Wyndspelle.

“They're all in absolutely lovely order and I'm very happy with them,” Logan said. “Unfortunately two of them haven't drawn well (Mongolian Falcon 12, The Soultaker 13), so we'll be hoping for some luck in the running.”

Murray Baker and Andrew Forsman won the race last year with Dal Cielo and have two runners this year. Gasoline was a dominant winner at Ellerslie on Boxing Day before running third in the Slipper at Matamata, while Saracino has had only one start and finished second to race rival Caorunn in the Gr. 3 Phoenix Park 2YO Classic at New Plymouth.

“They've both been working really well,” Forsman said. “I don't think we could be any happier going into a Group One two-year-old race. I think they'll both be very good chances.

“They've drawn a bit better than some of the other leading contenders (Saracino four, Gasoline six), which is a big help and can be pretty significant over the 1200 metres at Ellerslie.”

Caorunn was fourth in the Karaka Million before his impressive win in the Phoenix Park 2YO Classic, Nova Swiss has won twice and was fourth in the Slipper, Cavallucci was stakes-placed earlier in the season, Midnight Gossip made a big impression with a three-length win in her only start, and Platinum Diva was a dominant winner at Tauherenikau last time out.

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