In an exciting weekend of racing, six OTI runners will step out across Australia and New Zealand, headlined by two fillies competing in Group 1 events. The navy and gold silks will feature at Hamilton and Cranbourne on Friday, and Rosehill, Moonee Valley, and Ellerslie on Saturday.
Friday
Hamilton
Lightly raced mare Miss Chang’e kickstarts an action-packed weekend of racing in a 1600m Maiden (Race 4 – 3:00 pm). The daughter of Puissance De Lune has come through her first-up effort in good order and we are expecting to see her improve stepping out in trip. Our confidence is echoed by trainer Archie Alexander. He has been impressed by Miss Chang’e’s work during the week and is hopeful that John Allen can find cover from barrier nine.
Cranbourne
Blue Angel has trialled well at home ahead of her debut (Race 3 – 6:45 pm). Trained by Trent Busuttin and Natalie Young, the daughter of Reliable Man can prove competitive on raw ability alone. We expect Daniel Moor to use her speed and push forward from barrier one, in hope that she can hold a position and produce a strong finish. However, we are excited to see our filly step out under race conditions regardless of the result.
Saturday.
Rosehill
We eye a race to race double at Rosehill Gardens this weekend with two talented types.
Exciting mare Chaillot is chasing maiden Group 1 success in a wide-open edition of the Coolmore Classic (Race 7 – 4:15 pm). Trainer Archie Alexander could not be happier with the lightly raced four-year-old, stating that she is primed to progress stepping out over 1500m second-up. From barrier 13 Chaillot can settle back of midfield with cover and produce out wide under Declan Bates, who knows the horse well.
French import Mr Satchmo has impressed trainer Chris Waller ahead of his first-up run in the 1500m Group 2 Ajax Stakes (Race 8 – 5:00 pm). Waller declared that expected rainfall will assist our galloper, suggesting that the proven wet track performer can measure up under deteriorating conditions. We expect the son of Mr Sidney to take immense improvement from the run and are hopeful that he can relax under Tom Marquand, settling back in the field from barrier eight.
Moonee Valley.
The Ciaron Maher and David Eustace-trained Happy Pharrell is slowly regaining his fitness, after returning from a long spell. We are expecting the talented French import to roll forward from barrier one and take up a more prominent position in this competitive 2040m test (Race 3 – 1:25 pm). With only 54kg on his back and the in-form Jye McNeil booked to ride, there is no reason to suggest that he can’t improve here third up.
Ellerslie, New Zealand
Lightly raced filly Seven Twenty has come through her luckless run at Karaka in fantastic order. We are confident that she has taken improvement from the effort and will be competitive in a strong edition of the Group 1 Sistema Stakes over 1200m (Race 6 – 1:35 pm AEDT). Drawn in barrier five, she can settle further forward in the run and work home strongly under leading local hoop, Danielle Johnson.
Wishing all connections the best of luck!