Play That Song hitting the right notes ahead of Karaka Million. Photo / Trish Dunell
Play That Song hitting the right notes ahead of Karaka Million. Photo / Trish Dunell
Iain Hyndman's Ellerslie Tips 1: Pinmedown, Intrigue, Sentimental Miss 2: Catalyst, Run To Perfection, Madam Hass 3: Only In Jakarta, Rock 'N' Affair, Santa Catarina 4: Play That Song, Not An Option, Taroni 5: Pierina, Princess Kereru, Volpe Veloce 6: Harlech, Probabeel, Conqueror Best Bet: Pierina (R5) Best at Trentham: Powerball (R8)
Pukekohe trainer Nigel Tiley believes undefeatedfilly Play That Song is hitting all the right notes heading into Saturday's $1 million Karaka Million 2YO (1200m) at Ellerslie.
The daughter of Showcasing, whom Tiley owns with wife Lee, her sister Mandy and close friends Richard Cole and Alex Opie, has come on further since defeating race rival Not An Option in the Gr.2 Eclipse Stakes (1200m) at Ellerslie on New Year's Day.
"She is right up there with the best two-year-olds I have had," Tiley said.
"She is really well. I let her do a little bit of work this morning (Wednesday) and Lee rode her and was very happy with her. She is obviously a little bit sharper than she was before the Eclipse and she recovered very quickly this morning, so fitness wise I am very happy with her."
Tiley identified the precocious juvenile as Lot 944 in Book 2 of last year's New Zealand Bloodstock National Yearling Sale in the Windsor Park Stud draft and ultimately paid $40,000 for the daughter of one of his favourite stallions.
But the former champion jockey turned trainer admitted she was not the first horse on his short-list, with Tiley noted as a trader of horses and the Asian markets preferring colts and geldings.
"I went to the sales really adamant that I wanted to buy a colt by Showcasing. The stallion is no longer shuttling to New Zealand and there weren't going to be too many opportunities left to buy them," he said. "We tried to buy a few colts and just could not get warm."
The Pukekohe conditioner has taken great heart from the fact jockey James McDonald was keen to return to New Zealand to ride Play That Song in the Karaka Million after partnering the filly to victory in the Eclipse Stakes.
"James was adamant that he wanted to come back and ride her," he said.
"He was very bullish after she won the Eclipse. He gave me some very positive feedback about her, so when you get a rider of his calibre that gets off and says 'can I ride her in the Karaka Million,' you've got to be very pleased." – NZ Racing Desk
