“And she is definitely grumpier.
“As the campaign has gone on, she has got less and less interested in people fussing over her, and she just wants to get on with business.
“But I don’t take that as a bad sign - a lot of the good fillies have a bit of attitude.”
Orchestral has had an intense 2024, starting with a huge win at Pukekohe and then her dramatic $1.5 million Karaka Millions Three-Year-Old win.
Avondale Guineas and NZ Derby demolitions followed soon after.
“She had a week off after that, and she has thrived being back in work, and I think she will be a better filly this week than she was winning the Vinery (Group 1) two weeks ago.”
James says one of the keys to Orchestral handling a campaign of so many major race challenges is her appetite.
“She is an enormous eater, which helps giving them energy, and I think after this weekend, once we start to let her down, she will start to grow again because of that.”
The roomy Randwick track and step back up to 2400m should combine to make Orchestral even more potent than when she was running away from most of her opponents in the Vinery, and jockey James McDonald told the Herald he thinks he is on a winner.
The last piece of the puzzle should be the improved Sydney weather, with Randwick a soft 5 yesterday with chances of an upgrade today.
That would also suit NZ and Auckland Cup winner Mahrajaan in the A$2 million (NZ$2.16m) Sydney Cup, in which he carries 56kgs for Cambridge trainers Shaune Ritchie and Colm Murray.
Mahrajaan hates wet tracks but loves 3200m racing, so finds himself in his sweet spot today but is still giving weight to some smart horses and has a very wide draw.
Other Kiwis on the big stage today include Quintessa in the Oaks and her stablemate Campionessa in the Queen of the Turf, where she takes on NZ-owned Atishu.
The Cambridge Stud-owned Joliestar, a rare Kiwi winner of the Australian 1000 Guineas, resumes in the A$1 million (NZ$1.08m) Arrowfield Sprint but has needed a jockey change with ex-pat horseman Jason Collett still recovering from a mid-week race fall.
Closer to home, the $120,000 Hawkes Bay Cup is being held at Otaki after recent issues with the Hastings track, and it also has a rarity with a South Island-trained topweight, Prince Alby set to carry 58kgs.
Riccarton hosts the richest domestic race of the day with the $350,000 Southern Alps Challenge, their innovation race only open to South Island horses, while the $80,000 NZB Insurance Stakes sees plenty of northern three-year-old fillies heading south to chase black type.
Ellerslie track news
Ellerslie will hold trials on Monday to ensure their new StrathAyr track is good to go for next Saturday’s Easter Handicap meeting.
Wednesday’s meeting at Ellerslie was abandoned after three races because of issues with footing near one of the crossings as the new track continues to bed in.
Auckland Thoroughbred Racing is working with the track installers StrathAyr on how best to prepare the track for meetings, and it will now be cored more to break up the top surface until the track settles.
ATR will talk to jockeys who ride in Monday’s trials to ensure it is satisfactory for racing next Saturday.
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.
