Jaarffi looking to go one better after a year of big-race seconds

Jaarffi is one of the favourites for the Legacy Lodge Sprint at Pukekohe on Saturday. Photo / Kenton Wright

Group 1 performer Jaarffi will be seeking a breakthrough stakes victory at Pukekohe on Saturday when she contests the Listed Legacy Lodge Sprint.

The six-year-old daughter of Iffraaj was in fine form earlier this year when runner-up in the Group 2 Rich Hill Mile (1600m) at Ellerslie on New Year’s Day, before returning to the Auckland track on Champion’s Day in March to fill the same position in the Group 1 New Zealand Thoroughbred Breeders’ Stakes (1600m).

She returned this spring with a first-up seventh placing in the Group 3 Sweynesse Stakes (1215m), and trainer Lance Noble has been pleased with the way she has trained on ahead of her second-up test this weekend.

“Her first start was at Rotorua on a wet track, which didn’t really suit her,” he said.

“Provence is in there [on Saturday], but it is not an overly big field. She runs well at Pukekohe and I am happy with where she is at.”

All going to plan after Saturday, Jaarffi is set to return to Pukekohe in a fortnight to contest the Group 2 Dunstan Feeds Auckland Thoroughbred Breeders’ Stakes (1400m), a race she finished fifth in last year.

She will be joined at Pukekohe on Saturday by stablemate First Dance, who will contest the Majestic Horse Floats 1300, while last-start winner Mollify requires a couple of scratchings to make the field for the Devan Plastics Mile (1600m).

“First Dance drew pretty wide in a pretty tough race at Ellerslie yesterday, so we scratched her,” Noble said. “There are a couple of nice horses in this race, but it is probably not as strong as yesterday’s race. We are pretty hopeful with her.

“Mollify won her last start at Te Aroha. She needs a couple of scratchings, so hopefully she gets in, otherwise she can go to Te Aroha next week.”

Meanwhile, three-year-old Hello Youmzain filly Hey Dana is set to make her debut in the Rosebank Business Association Maiden 3YO (1200m) at Avondale today.

“She is probably going to need the run for experience,” Noble said. “She is quite a big filly, so whatever she does [today] she will improve on. Going forward, she is probably going to be an autumn horse.”

Meanwhile, Noble was pleased with the way Habana and Daring Dame have come through their runs at Ellerslie on Tuesday.

“I was pretty happy with Habana from where he was with 62 kilos on,” Noble said. “He ran home quite nicely [to finish ninth over 1500m].

“There is a nice race for him back at Ellerslie on the 29th, a set weights and penalties race, in which he will get a lot better weight conditions.

“Daring Dame was solid [third]. We will just find a rating race for her over 2000m. She has been very consistent, so hopefully we can get up over ground and she can keep going forward.”

Noble, the private trainer for Cambridge Stud principals Sir Brendan and Lady Jo Lindsay, was pleased to see his employer’s silks to the fore at Flemington on Melbourne Cup Day, courtesy of the Bjorn Baker-trained Dance To The Boom, who won Group 3 race The Hong Kong Jockey Club Stakes (1400m).

“It was huge,” Noble said.

“I think it is the first time Brendan and Jo haven’t been to the Melbourne Cup in a few years, so Murphy’s Law they weren’t there to see Dance Of The Boom win, but they were obviously very excited about it. It was great for the stud.”

– LOVERACING.NZ News Desk