Racing: Aloisia's connections eye two Group One race starts

Aloisia made an immediate impression across the Tasman. Photo / Darryl Sherer

Connections of Aloisia are focused on a pair of Group One opportunities this season for the New Zealand-bred filly.

The daughter of Azamour has impressed in both her appearances for Caulfield trainer Ciaron Maher since her purchase by Terry Henderson's OTI Racing operation.

"She's looking very smart and she's bred to be an Oaks filly, but she's precocious enough to go to the 1000 Guineas first," Henderson said.

Aloisia had two starts in New Zealand last season for co-breeder and part-owner Jason Price and followed up a debut fifth with a runner-up finish behind the subsequent Gr 1 Manawatu Sires' Produce Stakes runner-up Belle du Nord at Trentham.

"We don't find many two-year-olds over there, we usually wait a little longer but we were keeping an eye on her and she came along," Henderson said.

Aloisia made an immediate impression across the Tasman when she was successful on debut over 1400m at Flemington and then powered home late to finish second in the Gr 1 J. J. Atkins at Doomben before she was turned out.

OTI also has high hopes for another New Zealand-bred filly in Angelic Spirit. The Echoes Of Heaven filly was purchased after she won a Foxton trial last December from the Awapuni stable of Mark Oulaghan.

She finished a close sixth at Sandown earlier this month after kicking off her Australian career in good style for Cranbourne trainers Trent Busuttin and Natalie Young with a first-up victory at Sale.

"We really like her and how far she goes we don't know yet, she's still a little raw and a big filly," Henderson said.

Another promising NZ-bred three-year-old prospect under the OTI banner is So Far Sokool, runner-up in last season's Listed Great Northern Foal Stakes for Peter and Dawn Williams. She is now with Archie Alexander at Ballarat.

- NZ Racing Desk