Horse racing: Winter Final in the offing for promising juvenile

Pacific Breeze will contest the Network Visuals 1200 at Ellerslie on Saturday. Photo / Peter Rubery

Byerley Park trainer Steven Cole will head to Ellerslie with a quartet of runners today, and he is particularly upbeat about the chances of Pacific Breeze in the Network Visuals 1200.

The 2-year-old son of North Pacific has pleased Cole with his progression since making his debut at Te Aroha in February, and he will use today’s assignment as a qualifier for the $60,000 ITM/GIB 2YO Winter Championship Final at Ruakākā later this month.

“I am really happy with him, he trialled up well at Waipa the other day with the blinkers on, carrying plenty of weight with Ryan [Elliot] riding him. He was really happy with him and he seems to have trained on well,” Cole said.

“He was pretty unlucky in his first start when Sam [Spratt] rode him at Te Aroha and then he won well down the line [at Waverley]. He ran in the Group 1 [Manawatū Sires’ Produce Stakes, 1400m] and wasn’t disgraced. He had a freshen-up after that and seems to have come back well.

“He gets a perfect gate [3] on Saturday, and you can do what you want from there as long as they jump well.

“All going to plan, he can have one more run afterwards in the Ruakākā series final and then have a little break before the spring.”

Stablemate and last-start runner-up Chicago Jack will be looking to go one better when he contests the Yourride 1200.

“He went massive last start,” Cole said. “He got well out of his ground and really flashed home late. He seems to have trained on well and has a decent enough barrier [10]. Hopefully he can sit a little off the speed and be running home late.

“It looks a pretty open field without any standouts, and I expect him to be right there.”

Cole will also be represented by Customized in the Sistema 1400 and Hard Attack in the Thank You ATR Partners 1200.

“Customized has been gelded since his last start, he just got quite colty,” Cole said. “He had a quiet trial at Waipā the other day and I expect a cheeky run from him fresh-up over 1400m.

“Hard Attack will improve a lot from her first run, she went in there without a trial. She has a good draw [1] with three kilos off and we will look to push forward, and she should be a cheeky runner’s chance.”

– LOVERACING.NZ News Desk