Racing: Promising filly comes up against handy Whanganui field

Ilone Kelly's spring plans could change in a New York Minute today.

The New Plymouth trainer believes she has a smart one on her hands but will get a better read on the Iffraaj filly in today's O'Leary's Stakes 1200 at Whanganui.

"We should get a good line on her on Saturday and we'll just see where she goes from here. We've got Riccarton in the back of our minds but it depends what happens this weekend," Kelly said. New York Minute followed an impressive Foxton trial win with a commanding debut win in a Waverley maiden 2-year-old race at the end of July.

"She had a little foot issue but she's over that now. She had a week off after her win but she didn't miss too much work and we're really happy with her," Kelly said.

"We always thought she was a little bit above average and that day at Waverley she did what we thought she would do."

Raced by extended family members Bernard, Josephine, John and Margaret Kelly, New York Minute comes up against a handy field of 3-year-old fillies at Whanganui, among them Listed Foal Stakes and Ryder Stakes winner Secret Spirit, group three Taranaki 2yo Classic winner Magic Dancer, Listed Welcome Stakes winner Jacquetta, and fellow stakes performers Girlsarebackintown and She Is Stryking, both impressive last-start winners at Taupo.

International interest in buying New York Minute had not persuaded the Kellys to sell and now the attention turns to whether the filly can convince her connections she's worthy of a shot at the group one NZB 1000 Guineas at Riccarton on November 14 or even of a group one NZ Oaks campaign next autumn.

- NZ Racing Desk