Racing: Promising filly heads to Riccarton

Photo / Richard Robinson

There was a million-dollar ring to the way Twilight Savings burst back to racing at Rotorua on Saturday.

The stunning second-last-to-first finish by the hugely talented Cambridge filly should convince connections to switch from the 1000 Guineas to the 2000 Guineas at Riccarton next month.

The significance is the prizemoney - the 1000 Guineas for the fillies is run for $300,000 and the 2000 Guineas for males and females is $1 million.

Second place in the 2000 Guineas, at $175,000, is only fractionally less than the winning cheque of $178,125 for the 1000 Guineas.

Co-trainer Bjorn Baker declared immediately after the $45,000 Lion Red Plate that Twilight Savings might just have earned the right to take on the colts and geldings in the 2000 Guineas.

"We'll see, it will depend on how she does in the next week or so. We've got a bit of time up our sleeve."

Yesterday, Baker said the initial signs after the hard race were promising.

"She's very bright this morning," he said.

Whether Twilight Savings has another run before Riccarton will probably depend on which races she aims at there.

"If she goes for the 1000 Guineas she'll probably have another race," said Baker.

Twilight Savings was the only one of the 11 winners that overcame a dominating racing pattern on the day.

Rotorua can often favour swoopers, but horses that got back and tried to improve wide on the home bend on Saturday found themselves hugely disadvantaged.

For most of the day, it became virtually impossible to make ground out wide in the home straight.

The sweet spot was to be handy and three widths out from the rail on the home bend. Most winners came from around that area, although smart debut maiden Guru's Dream and Fledgling were significant winners hard against the rail.

Twilight Savings got back from her wide barrier, had no option but to improve wide on the home corner and was so dominant for a 120m stretch of the home straight she put the opposition to the sword very quickly.

As a result of a combination of foot problems and a virus, Twilight Savings went into Saturday's race without the benefit of a barrier trial, which made the effort even more impressive.

"She's a very good filly," said Baker, and no one was arguing.

It was the sixth time in the past eight years that 3-year-olds have won the Lion Red Plate.

The other 3-year-old in the race, Cool Storm, finished fourth, 1.7 lengths away.

Separating her and Twilight Savings were the favourite, Vonusti, who tried hard late, and Bulginbaah, who finished strongly along the inside rail after being held up on the home bend.

Last year's winner, San Bernadino, was a late scratching after breaking away from rider Opie Bosson in his preliminary and galloping a fair distance.

He was found to be lame in a foreleg when caught and was ordered to undergo a veterinary inspection before next racing.

If Twilight Savings tackles the 2000 Guineas she will almost certainly run up against Hammer Down, a hugely impressive winner in a lesser race at Rotorua on Saturday.

Rockburn is no slouch, but Hammer Down made him look like one, leading and racing well clear from the home bend.

"He's been a bit backward mentally, but he's improving steadily," said trainer Stephen McKee.

The upside to Hammer Down, with only three races behind him, is enormous.

* Royal Era will head to the New Zealand Cup at Riccarton after denying a brave Sir Slick his $2 million target in the $45,000 Platinum Homes Rotorua Plate.

Sir Slick tried hard to cling to the lead in the home straight, but finally his 59kg proved too much and he yielded to Royal Era in the final strides.

"She's had only the 12 starts and she's got a fair bit of improvement in her," said trainer Richard French.

Another Rotorua winner, Roi d'Jeu, is headed to the New Zealand Cup.

Jason Collett produced probably the ride of the day at Rotorua to land Roi d'Jeu home a narrow but gallant winner under 58kg.