Racing: Telepathic pipped in Rough Habit

Marotiri Miss wins easily at New Plymouth on Saturday.

Question now is whether filly takes on the A$400,000 Oaks or the A$500,000 Derby.

Donna Logan knows things didn't go Telepathic's way in Saturday's A$125,000 Rough Habit Plate and is not disappointed in the filly's close second to Amexed.

Logan had expected Telepathic to be three places back one away from the rail, but settled a couple of places further back, beyond mid-field under Mark du Plessis.

As a result Telepathic had to sprint from further out from the finish than would be desirable and looked as though she peaked on her run inside the 80m.

"Mark said that he had been looking to get further forward early, but knew that if he did that James [McDonald] on Glorious Lad would have posted them three wide," said Logan.

Ironically McDonald had the choice between Telepathic and Glorious Lad. Mark Du Plessis had ridden Glorious Lad in his previous five races.

"The run she got I expected her to peak late, so I can't be disappointed in her, I thought she went a great race.

"She'll tighten up nicely with that."

The question now is whether Telepathic takes on the A$400,000 ($434,000) Oaks in three weeks or the A$500,000 Derby seven days later.

"We'll wait a couple of days and then it will depend on what the bosses owner Gerry Harvey and stud general manager Russell Warwick want to do.

"I wouldn't be scared to have a look at the Derby and that would mean two weeks to the Grand Prix and two weeks to the Derby, which would be ideal."

Similarly, trainer Shaune Ritchie was not disappointed with Glorious Lad finishing third, one and a quarter lengths behind Telepathic.

"He got held up fractionally on the home bend, but I'm not sure how much difference that made.

"What I love about him is he puts himself in the race and tries hard.

He's the sort of horse you'd love to own."

Ritchie said he's not committed to running Glorious Lad in the Derby.

"I know he finished third in the Derby back home, but I'm not convinced he's a genuine 2400m horse.

"I am committed to running in the Grand Prix though and James [McDonald] is keen to stay with him, which is a plus. The option is to freshen him for some Listed 1600m races late in the carnival, but winning them is the same as finishing third in the Derby." Ritchie had a bit of joy on Saturday winning a A$13,000 maiden at the Gold Coast track with a debut Stravinsky 3-year-old Abaddon, who started the $1.80 favourite.

"He raced very greenly, but has ability. He'll go back to the Gold Coast in two weeks then we might look at some Listed races with him late in the carnival."

Lightly raced 6-year-old mare Marotiri Miss continued her excellent fresh-up record with a dominant victory over 1200 metres at New Plymouth at the weekend to put herself in the frame for a tilt at some major spoils over the next few months.

Saturday's 3-length victory in the Hirepool 1200 was the 4th for the Richard French-trained mare at just her 18th start after commencing her career as a late 4-year-old.

"Dylan [Turner] rode her superbly and at the 600 metre mark she was travelling so well he decided to put the pressure on and she ended up running away from them in the end," French said.

French is toying with the idea of a start for the mare in the Listed AG Challenge Stakes at Wanganui on May 31 as he seeks to obtain some valuable black type for her future breeding career.

- Additional reporting, NZ Racing Desk