No More Tears Photo / Trish Dunell
Multiple stakes winner No More Tears will have a number of factors in her favour when she kicks off a new campaign aimed at two group one goals.
The Cambridge galloper is on target to begin her 4-year-old season in the Lisa Chittick Foxbridge Plate at Te Rapa on Saturday.
"That's going to be a hot field, but she doesn't mind the cut out of the ground and she loves Te Rapa," trainer Stephen Marsh said.
"She'll run there and all going well she will go to Hawke's Bay for the first two races down there."
The Makfi Challenge Stakes will be run at Hastings on August 27, with the Windsor Park Plate three weeks later.
The dual listed winner of the Hamilton Vets Equine Stakes and the Soliloquy Stakes, No More Tears added the Mr Tiz Trophy to her record before a three-start autumn campaign in Sydney, where she finished runner-up in the James Carr Stakes.
Meanwhile, Marsh has confirmed her exciting younger stablemate Ugo Foscolo's path to the Sothys New Zealand 2000 Guineas at Riccarton on November 5.
"He will kick off at Hastings on the first day in the El Roca Sprint for 3-year-olds and then go on to the Hawke's Bay Guineas and the 2000 Guineas," Marsh said.
"You might give a lot of horses three runs before they went into the Guineas, but with this one I'm happy to go third-up - he's very clean-winded and athletic."
Ugo Foscolo was a commanding debut winner at Rotorua in April and the following month he got the better of Memories Only in the Hamilton Vets Equine Stakes at Te Rapa.
"He's coming up nicely and I can't fault him at this stage," Marsh said.
"He's definitely grown and matured, both mentally and physically.
"There's been a big improvement in him."
Another Cambridge stable, that of Murray Baker and Andrew Forsman, is aiming for multiple representation in all three legs of the Triple Crown series at Hastings.
The duo have Mime and the Australian recruit Our Vergara on target for the opening two legs: the Makfi Challenge Stakes and the Windsor Park Plate, with Saint Emilion a chance to join them in the closing event, the Livamol Spring Classic on October 1.
Mime will be a notable first New Zealand raceday representative for the powerful China Horse Club, who bought the Mastercraftsman mare earlier this year.
"We think she can be competitive in all three races," said Andrew Forsman.
The 4-year-old, who placed in her 1000m heat at the recent Te Teko trials, enjoyed a lucrative 3-year-old season with four wins, including the Sir Tristram Fillies' Classic and the Sunline Vase and was spelled after she ran fourth in the NZ Oaks.
"It was a good solid effort at the trials and she had a good blow," Forsman said. "She's grown quite a bit and strengthened."
Our Vergara won eight races from Anthony Cummings' stable and, after her purchase by Blue Gum Farm and T. J. S. Bloodstock, she ran third in one appearance for Gerald Ryan.
The Snippetson mare, who ran a tidy fourth in a 1000m heat at the Te Teko trials, has been sent to New Zealand to chase group one honours and to be served by Tavistock.
"She's got a great temperament and takes everything in her stride," Forsman said.
Meanwhile, Saint Emilion has risen to a rating of 99 after winning seven races last season and he has returned in fine order following a deserved break.
"He's had his first serious gallop and he's making good progress," Forsman said.
- NZ Racing Desk