Tuxedo was one of our best 3-year-olds last season and will be racing at Ellerslie on Saturday. Photo/ Kenton Wright
Group 2 winner Tuxedo will test his talent at weight-for-age for the first time when he heads to Ellerslie on Saturday to contest the Group 1 Proisir Plate (1400m).
The Shaune Ritchie and Colm Murray-trained gelding had a pleasing 3-year-old season last term, winning three of his six starts, including the Group 2 Waikato Guineas (2000m) and Group 3 Wellington Stakes (1600m), and finished runner-up to Damask Rose in the Karaka Millions 3YO (1600m).
The son of Tivaci continued his winning ways first-up this season when victorious over 1400m at Ruakākā last month.
“We are pleased we got that run into him,” Ritchie said. “The three weeks between races has worked out perfect for him.
“Having a run over 1400m means he is rock-hard ready for Saturday. He has performed well at Ellerslie, having run second to Damask Rose in a Karaka Million, so things are looking pretty rosy for him.”
While upbeat about his gelding before the weekend, Ritchie is aware of the step up to weight-for-age level.
“History tells us that 4-year-olds have struggled a bit in the spring, especially straight into weight-for-age,” he said.
“That is always in the back of your mind. Having said that, I don’t believe we have a dominant weight-for-age horse at the moment.
“I think it does open up for a horse like him to be able to put his hand up and be a chance in this race.
“We were encouraged by Treasurethe Moment who is a 4-year-old and smashed them in the first Group 1 weight-for-age race [Memsie Stakes, 1400m] of the season in Australia. Four-year-olds can do it if they are good enough.
“He has performed well at Ellerslie behind Damask Rose and she went an unbelievable run first-up [fifth in Group 3 Cockram, Stakes, 1200m]. She proved she is right up to the best 4-year-olds there.
“We are looking at the positives as best we can. Having said that, he is a high-quality horse and we are just hoping we can measure up and I am sure he will run well.”
Stablemate Gate Crashers will also head to Ellerslie where he will be first-up in the Join TAB Racing Club 1600.
The 4-year-old Almanzor gelding had a light but lucrative autumn preparation where he placed over a mile at Matamata before winning over the same distance at Ellerslie in May.
“His performance last time was very impressive,” Ritchie said. “He kept up a solid gallop through that whole mile. The difference this time is that he is first-up and I can’t remember the last horse we lined up at a mile first-up. It is something we don’t do as a stable; we are generally quite light on them.
“He went to Ruakākā and had a couple of solid gallops up there and did a lot of walking in the water and a lot of mileage. Ellerslie is where the money is and I believe he is a strong miler, so we thought we had him ready enough to get through it.
“One thing he hasn’t had is a trial, but he is a pretty fair sort of galloper and I believe he will get through the grades through the spring.
“Whether he is a bit vulnerable because of the lack of race fitness is a fair comment to make, but having said that, he will be right there until the last furlong.
“I don’t think he is the worst bet in the world and he could be over the odds.”
The stable will also be represented by Hot Line Bling in the Yourride 2200.
“He is probably our value chance on the day,” Ritchie said. “His runs, albeit on the poly, have been super.
“I love the way he moves, he gets down nice and low. He has always indicated that he would be a lovely stayer, being an Almanzor out of a good family.”
Ritchie holds the one-win gelding in high regard and has lofty ambitions for him this spring.
“He is a cracking individual, he is a really lovely horse,” he said. “He has got a nomination for the New Zealand Cup [Group 3, 3200m], so we have got to be going very well or winning a race like this.
“He is fit and he is ready to go. In his last run [when runner-up over 2000m at Cambridge], he missed the kick, he sat on the back of the gate, so we will ask for a man to go up with him.
“If he jumps with them he is going to take a lot of holding out, one would think. That will be the key to his chances, but he has got 2100m to make up some ground.
“I feel he deserves his chance at the big prize money.”
– LOVERACING.NZ News Desk