Racing: Classy filly can handle heavy track

Qiji Phoenix has drawn very wide for his Australian debut in tomorrow's A$250,000 Sires Produce Stakes at Eagle Farm. Photo / NZ Racing Desk

Whatever juvenile best handles the very heavy Ellerslie conditions will win tomorrow's $50,000 Graeme Thomson Jewellers Great Northern Foal Stakes, and Byerley Park may hold the key.

So Far Sokool and Ohceedee are the two representatives from the South Auckland training centre and a quinella result would not surprise.

Even though yet to race on what most would call a wet track, So Far Sokool will likely start favourite off the back of a 4.5 length runaway victory at Avondale last start.

Co-trainer Peter Williams is reasonably confident the talented filly will manage a track that is guaranteed to be heavy with rain forecast for today.

"Most of the Showcasing horses can handle it wet and the filly's mother showed all her form on slow and heavy tracks," he said yesterday.

"She has trained on really well since the Avondale win and she's starting to look like a real little racehorse. She worked really well this morning, the rider couldn't make her go any slower."

Ohceedee does not have So Far Sokool's -21 formline, but his -435 form is better than it looks on paper. He gives the impression he is slow learning his trade and is generally slow to build up his final sprint.

"He's been racing a bit dumb," says trainer Steven Cole. "We've put blinkers on him for this race. Alysha [Collett] worked him in them Saturday morning and said he felt like a different horse." The Power colt has been making ground late in each of his races and is going to be well suited by stepping up to 1400m this time from the 1200m.

With not a great deal of exposed form there is an element of risk in which of these will manage the conditions sufficiently well to threaten in the closing stages.

Haussmann has ability, but in three starts has yet to strike conditions anything like he faces tomorrow. He came back from a short break with a powerful finish into second over 1100m at Te Rapa last start and gives the impression he will be well suited by the 1400m. If he can get reasonable purchase in the wet footing he will play a part in the finish.

Trail Blazer turned in a nice debut effort when a solid-finishing third over 1150m at Te Awamutu. Being by Roc de Cambes from a mare by Sparticus, she should manage an even wetter surface this time.

Lala Land, Miss Foxy Girl and Iffida have all shown enough talent to take away part of the stake if they get through the footing satisfactorily.

One of the country's best juveniles Qiji Phoenix will make his Australian debut in tomorrow's A$250,000 Sires Produce Stakes at Eagle Farm, but has come up with barrier No23, which will become No18 when the emergencies come out. He is unbeaten in three New Zealand starts and can handle the rain affected footing that will present in Queensland, but the barrier presents a nightmare for the colt and rider Leith Innes.

Fellow New Zealander Melody Belle has opened as the $4.20 favourite for the race, coming off wins in the Karaka Million and group one Sires Produce at Manawatu. Qiji Phoenix is rated a $7 chance.

Benzini ($13) and Chocante at $6.50 are down to run in the A$125,000 Premier's Cup, Shocking Luck is the $3 favourite for the A$150,000 Grand Prix and Start Wondering is a $26 outsider in the A$700,000 Darley Cup.

Trail Blazer's eye-catching debut performance has earned her a much earlier than anticipated shot at black type.

"I didn't expect to come away from a two-year-old race at Waipa thinking she would be having her next start in a stakes race," said Rick Williams, general and racing manager of The Oaks Stud.

That will be in tomorrow's Great Northern Foal Stakes at Ellerslie.

By The Oaks Stud's resident sire Roc de Cambes, the Robert Priscott-trained Trail Blazer placed in both her lead-up trials before she finished powerfully to run third at the first time of asking earlier this month.

"She didn't handle the bends too well at Waipa and once she was balanced she savaged the line," Williams said.

"She's very strong physically and she's already looking for the 1400 metres and she will love Ellerslie. She doesn't mind wet tracks either and that's obviously what she's going to get on Saturday."

Trail Blazer is from a family that Priscott knows well as he prepared the filly's mother Hot Pursuit to win two races and gain black type placings before injury forced her retirement.

Meanwhile, Roc de Cambes associate stallion Darci Brahma enjoyed a productive weekend in Sydney last Saturday with a winning double from the Chris Waller-trained pair of New Universe and Dagny.

Weekend pointers

• Conditions suit: Megablast, R2 Ellerslie. Can handle the wettest conditions and is well up to beating this field.

• Improved: Fire Jet, R3 Ellerslie. Talented sprinter who will be considerably sharper for his first-up run.

• Can step up: Shocking Luck, R5 Brisbane. Won the Rough Habit plate for fun and can win against slightly tougher opposition provided conditions are not too wet.

- Additional reporting NZ Racing Desk