Battle for 3-year-old filly supremacy heats up at Ellerslie

Tajana was impressive winning the Cambridge Stud Northland Breeders Stakes at Ruakaka last start. Photo / Therese Davis

Everything about today’s $150,000 Sunline Vase at Ellerslie suggests it is a showdown between the two most exciting fillies of the spring.

But one of their trainers admits it may not quite be that simple.

The 3-year-old fillies step up to 1400m which looks perfect for stunning Gold Trail Stakes winner Lollapalooza and second favourite Tajana, who returned with a black type victory in the Cambridge Stud Northland Breeders Stakes at Ruakāka last month.

Tajana is already proven at Group 1 level, finishing third in the Sires’ Produce last season while Lollapalooza has rightly become one of the hype horses of the spring when she exploded through the pack from last for her Gold Trail victory last start.

That suggests one of the pair should sweep down the middle of the Ellerslie straight today to seal favouritism for the NZ 1000 Guineas but Tajana’s co-trainer Shaune Ritchie has some words of caution.


“They both look really good fillies and everybody saw what Lollapalooza did last start,” says Ritchie, who trains in partnership with Colm Murray.

“But they might also be fillies who naturally, at this stage of their careers anyway, settle back in their races.

“Our filly definitely is and we won’t be asking her to change her racing style because while this is a really important race we are still prepping her for races like the Guineas and even further down the track the Oaks.


“So yes I think either Lollapalooza or our filly will probably win but being fillies who get back and storm home they will still need an ounce of luck or some tempo to help them out.”

While that is true, the smallish field today, and the step up to 1400m, should see one of the favourites get home, those who do back them may be smart to have a small saver bet on Too Sweet.

The Eclipse Stakes winner on this track has had a series of poor draws since, but was very strong when fourth after sitting outside the leader last start and should be close to the speed in a race that might lack tempo in the middle stages.

If she kicks hard at the top of the straight her $10 win odds and, even more so, $2.70 place odds are inviting.

The Sunline is just one highlight on a super day of racing at Ellerslie, with two high-class 4-year-olds in Tardelli and Captured By Love clashing in the $65,000 Eagle Technology open 1400m.

Both have impressed at recent trials and Tardelli looks a Group 1 horse in the making while Captured By Love beat Alabama Lass in the 1000 Guineas last season.

Trainer Stephen Marsh is thrilled with how Tardelli has been working but realises being a stallion, he should improve with a run under his belt while co-trainer Sam Bergerson says Captured By Love can win her comeback with her 3kg advantage over Tardelli.

Both stables have reps in a red hot maiden Race 2 today in which Avantaggia (No.10) is one of the more expensive yearling purchases to have raced in New Zealand in recent years.

“She will, like most horses, get better with a run or two but she has some of her mum’s toughness and attitude,” says Bergerson of the daughter of Group 1 star Avantage.

The race could be one of the form maiden contests of the spring, being loaded with trials and race form and a handful out of it could end up in Guineas races.

There are also plenty of talented 3-year-olds in Race 3, with Marsh rating Churmatt (No 1) one of his better chances at today’s meeting.

Meanwhile, Kiwi mare Damask Rose faces an imposing challenge in the A$1 million ($1.12m) Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes at Caulfield today.

The NZB Kiwi and Karaka Million winner returned with a huge fifth last start and was the one-time favourite for today’s race.

However, with the field coming up stronger than expected and Damask Rose drawing barrier 16, she is now rated a $21 chance.

Michael Guerin wrote his first nationally published racing articles while still in school and started writing about horse racing and the gambling industry for the Herald as a 20-year-old in 1990. He became the Herald’s Racing Editor in 1995 and covers the world’s biggest horse racing carnivals.