Wexford Stables trainers Lance O'Sullivan and Andrew Scott have the feature bases covered for Ellerslie today.
The Matamata training partnership will seek to defend their Manco Easter Stakes title with Sound Proposition and will tackle the Valachi Downs Championship Stakes (2100m) with Charles Road and the Diamond Lodge Championship Stakes (1600m) with Miss Foxy Gal.
"It's an exciting day for the stable," Scott said.
It was certainly an exciting day for the stable at the same meeting last year when Savabeel gelding Sound Proposition claimed his first group one win in the Easter Stakes (1600m), though he won't add to his group one tally this weekend with the race since downgraded to group two status.
"He's going in to the race in similar form to last year. He worked his way through the ranks and his form coming through the grades looked good on paper," Scott said.
"This year, he's had a more interrupted preparation and he went first-up over 2000m [in the group one New Zealand Stakes] but he put the writing on the wall that day with a terrific run for third.
"He was a bit unlucky. He got stuck in behind a wall of horses but he hit the line strongly once he got clear. He's trained on well since and Mickey Coleman is happy with him.
"We're pleased with where he's at with his body weight and condition and we expect him to go well."
Sound Proposition has won four of his 15 starts, three of those wins from 11 starts at Ellerslie.
"He's got a great course record and we think he'll run really well again," Scott said.
Charles Road got a deserved last-start win in the Manawatu Classic (2000m) at Awapuni after chasing Gingernuts home at his previous two - for second in the Avondale Guineas (2100m) and sixth in the New Zealand Derby (2400m), both at Ellerslie.
"Sam Weatherley rides him in all his work and he tells us he's not going backwards at all," Scott said.
"We were waiting for him to tell us he'd had enough but he's holding up well in both form and condition. He knows his way around Ellerslie and we think he's at least a top-three chance again." Scott said no discussion had taken place about plans past today should Charles Road win again but conceded thoughts would be given to joining Sound Proposition en route to Brisbane for a tilt at the Queensland Derby (2400m) at Eagle Farm on June 10.
Sound Proposition's Brisbane goal could be the Doomben Cup (2000m) on May 20 should he win today, with the Chairman's Handicap (2000m) seven days earlier an alternative kick-off point.
O'Sullivan and Scott's representative in the Champagne Stakes is promising Foxwedge filly Miss Foxy Gal, who chased race rivals Qiji Phoenix, Weather With You and Aquamosa at Ellerslie last start.
"Her fitness levels are high. She's got a fair bit of racing under her belt and we're expecting her to run well," Scott said.
New Zealand Oaks placegetter Savvy Dreams and and stablemate Lamborghini have arrived in Adelaide fit and well after their trip across the Tasman.
"It was a long trip. We left home last Tuesday and got here on Friday, but they both coped very well and I couldn't be happier with the pair of them," Grant Cullen, who trains in partnership with Guy Lowry, said.
Savvy Dreams will make her Australian debut in today's Auraria Stakes at Morphettville while Lamborghini runs in an 1800m-handicap.
"Savvy Dreams lost a little bit of weight on the way over, but she's put it back on and she's the same weight now as when we left," Cullen said.
"She's settled in really well and taking a line through Bonneval we would be surprised if she's not competitive over here."
Savvy Dreams finished third in the New Zealand Oaks behind Bonneval who was the dominant winner of the Australian Oaks at Randwick.
The Darren Weir-trained Kenedna is the TAB's $3.50 favourite with Savvy dreams the second-elect at $5.50.
Cullen said race jockey Paul Gatt had ridden the filly in trackwork and been impressed.
Lamborghini has won two of his past three starts and will be ridden by premier Adelaide jockey Jason Holder.
"He's a progressive type of stayer who had foot issues earlier on, which he's well over now," Cullen said.
"He's up against open class horses on Saturday, but he would have been at home anyway and he likes the good tracks.
- NZ Racing Desk