Xtravagant Impresses in Track Gallop

The Informant reports:

Crack colt Xtravagant looked in outstanding order at Tauranga this afternoon when he continued his build-up toward further Group One features.

The runaway New Zealand 2000 Guineas winner was ridden by Matt Cameron and they held a narrow margin on stablemate Scrutinize at the end of 800 metres in 45.84 seconds with both colts under good holds.

“He felt super, he's on his way up again,” Cameron said. “Scrutinize is more laid-back than Xtravagant and his work was good as well.”

Xtravagant will resume in a three-year-old event over 1400 metres at Ellerslie on Boxing Day.

“His first target will be the Levin Classic and then to Flemington on the 5th of March for the Australian Guineas and there's obviously a lot of money in Sydney as well - he's a really exciting colt,” said Jamie Richards, who prepares Xtravagant with Stephen Autridge.

“We've very happy with him and he went back to the farm for a week in the paddock after Christchurch and he's been ticking over quietly since we've had him back.”

Hawke's Bay Guineas runner-up Scrutinize is booked to return to racing at Awapuni over 1400 metres on Saturday week.

“That will be a lead into the Great Northern Guineas, the Karaka Mile and the Avondale and Waikato Guineas,” Richards said.

“David (Ellis) bought him as a Derby horse and hopefully that's where he will end up.”

... and the AAP reports ...

Kiwis Turn Me Loose and Xtravagant are strongly supported in the early betting for feature races at the Sydney autumn carnival.

Emirates Stakes winner Turn Me Loose is on the third line of betting for the Doncaster Mile at $11. Press Statement is the second favourite at $8.50, while clear favouritism rests with Cox Plate heroine Winx at $7.50.

"Despite the weight Winx is likely to be given it is hard not to have her as favourite," TAB spokesman Glenn Munsie said.

"We have her as favourite for the Queen Elizabeth which we opened a little while ago.

"That race is a week after the Doncaster and punters have been really keen to take the early price of $6 about her there."

Winx is also proven over the Randwick mile, winning the Epsom Handicap before sweeping aside a field of weight-for-age stars to claim the Cox Plate.

Another Chris Waller-trained galloper Kermadec is a $15 chance to make it back-to-back Doncaster wins.

Dominant New Zealand 2000 Guineas winner Xtravagant shares Australian Derby favouritism with the Kiwi-bred Victoria Derby winner Tarzino.

John Sargent's mare Gust of Wind and the New Zealand-owned Who Shot Thebarman head the market for the Sydney Cup.

Chautauqua is the $4.60 favourite to win the TJ Smith Stakes for the second time.