Racing: Star outgunned in Classic

Bonneval (red cap) gets the better of stablemate Nicoletta in the $100,000 Fillies Classic at Te Rapa. Photo / Trish Dunell

More and more major races - and at times not so major events - are tempo related.

It was something you didn't previously see a lot of.

The Baker/Forsman stable woke up to the fact the only way to topple unbeaten filly Volpe Veloce was to make Saturday's $100,000 Cambridge Stud Sir Tristram Fillies Classic as dour a staying contest as possible.

It didn't hurt that the stable had two of the eight runners, but it wasn't a case of team riding, evidenced by the narrow winning margin between Bonneval and Nicoletta.

"We haven't seen form like Volpe Veloce's since Sunline and we knew the only chance we had to beat her was to outstay her," said Baker after the two talented fillies fought a desperate home-straight battle.

"She simply didn't stay the 2000m," said trainer Graham Richardson, after the $1.60 favourite finished fourth.

The ownership of winner Bonneval was appropriate - co-owner John Rattray has been a major owner with Sky Television's co-founder, former test cricketer Terry Jarvis, these days in Australia.

"I have some great memories of winning races with Murray," said an excited Rattray in the birdcage as the fillies returned. "We had a horse called The Bill that won the Tulloch Stakes on Golden Slipper day at Rosehill at $70. That was fun."

More recently, Fatal was a very smart horse at the top level and there have been plenty of others racing in the green and blue colours Bonneval carried on Saturday.

Neither of the fillies were nominated for the Vodafone Derby, but look certain to be on hand for the Oaks at Trentham.

Devise trailed the leaders and looked to come through between the first two halfway up the home straight, but the gap did not eventuate.

She may have looked a touch unlucky, but rider Jason Waddell said the filly could not have bombed the first two even if the gap had opened.

"She finished a nice third and the race will bring her on. I'm looking forward to the Oaks."

Te Akau Racing have another major two-year-old title in their sights following Gold Fever's dominant winning performance at Te Rapa.

The powerful Matamata stable produced Melody Belle to win the recent Karaka Million and her stablemate will now be a leading candidate to add the Matamata Breeders' Stakes to their roll of honour.

Gold Fever will also be bidding to add to her family's record in the February 25 contest as her half-sister Gold Rush was successful in the race 12 months ago.

"The Breeders' Stakes has been the plan for some time," said Jamie Richards, who prepares the daughter of Savabeel with Stephen Autridge.

Gold Fever delivered a perfect result for her connections in Saturday's Race A Horse With Te Akau " 2017 Karaka Million under Cameron Lammas. They sat in second spot to the turn before taking control 300 metres from home and comfortably accounted for Joyfilly, who came on well from the back. The front-runner Caesour's Dream boxed on well for third ahead of the debutante Fashion Sense.

- Additional reporting NZ Racing Desk