Racing: Frank Ritchie seeking Group One glory

Dawn Patrol contests the Gr.1 Sistema Railway today. Photo / Trish Dunell

Cambridge trainer Frank Ritchie will be looking for more success at Ellerslie's Christmas-New Year Carnival today after Fiscal Fantasy's Group One runner-up performance in the Zabeel Classic (2000m) on Boxing Day.

Ritchie was delighted with the result, but said because of her petite size Fiscal Fantasy is reliant on good barrier draws.

"As I have said many times she is the ultimate racehorse, she never goes a bad race," he said.

"Statistically, the races that she has been able to win have come from good draws. Part of that is because she is so small.

"Unless a gap is big enough they just push her around. She has been beaten by that scenario a few times, so the good draws are helpful and it worked out well for us to get one in a Group One race and she ran accordingly."

Ritchie is pleased with the way she has come through the race and he is now eyeing the Gr.3 Barneswood Farm Trentham Stakes (2100m) next month with his charge.

"She has come through the race terrifically," he said. "Those Group One races are pretty tough and pretty hard on them. You like to be sure that they have recovered and she has recovered brilliantly.

"The Trentham Stakes and the Herbie Dyke (Gr.1, 2000m) were the next two on the list for her.

"I thought she might miss Wellington if she didn't recover, but at this point she has recovered and it is still on the table."

While he came close to Group One glory on the opening day of the carnival, Ritchie is hoping to go one better on New Year's Day when enigmatic galloper Dawn Patrol contests the Gr.1 Sistema Railway (1200m).

The winner of the Gr.3 Sweynesse Stakes (1215m) at Rotorua in October, Dawn Patrol heads into today off the back of an unplaced run over 1200m at Ellerslie earlier this month and Ritchie is hoping the right Dawn Patrol turns up today.

"He is pretty volatile and he can over-race for almost no reason at all."

All going to plan, Dawn Patrol will head south to Trentham to target the Gr.1 JR & N Berkett Telegraph (1200m) on January 18.

Meanwhile, Ritchie's other big hope of the day is Kya Khoob Lagti Ho who will contest the Dunstan Feeds Stayers Championship Final (2400m).

The 4-year-old daughter of Pierro has won two of her last three starts, including a short-neck victory over 2400m at Te Rapa earlier this month.

"I think she will go a big race."

- NZ Racing Desk