Racing: Megablast eyes cup as Tiley stars head for Ellerslie

Trainer Nigel Tylie with his star performer Conquistar. Photo / David White

Pukekohe trainer Nigel Tiley has set three of his stable stars for Ellerslie over the coming weeks, headed by the up-and-coming middle distance specialist Megablast.

"He'll race this Saturday in the Avondale Cup and three weeks later in the Auckland Cup," he said.

"After that, he'll have a good spell as he's been up since last May, but we've spaced his races.

"In between racing we've kept him interested by going to the beach a lot and he enjoys that.

"He has won on firm and rain affected tracks, but next year could be his year. He'll be bigger and stronger."

Meanwhile, stablemates Girl Of My Dreams and The Justice League had forgettable runs at their most recent starts in the Thorndon Mile at Trentham last month.

"Even though The Justice League was hampered at the 400m, he'd probably had enough," Tiley said.

"Second up after his nice win at Ellerslie on Boxing Day may have been part of the reason, so we've freshened him up with two weeks in the paddock and he's looking great.

"He will start at Ellerslie on March 4. He doesn't need a lot of work, he's very capable and is only 12 months away from being a top liner."

Tiley said he had followed a similar post-Wellington path with Girl Of My Dreams. "Like The Justice League, we gave her a couple of weeks off and she came back into the stable on Tuesday.

"She goes well at Ellerslie, running a slashing second to Volkstok'n'barrell in the New Zealand Stakes last year and I have her down to start in the Westbury Classic."

Gary Vile doesn't expect the northern style of racing to worry his in-form five-year-old Jacksstar. The Awapuni trainer has his last-start Wellington Cup runner-up in good heart for Saturday with another strong performance at Ellerslie to earn the stayer a return trip to Auckland next month.

"He had a week in the paddock after Trentham to freshen up and he's on track for the Avondale Cup," Vile said. "He hasn't raced right-handed before, but I don't see any problems. He works that way quite a bit.

"As long as he goes well in the Avondale Cup we'll go back for the Auckland Cup."

- NZ Racing Desk