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Thorndon for Rock On Wood; Stakes assignment for impressive Ellerslie winner; Australian Cup for Night’s Watch
Thorndon for Rock On Wood
Trainer Leanne Elliot is pleased with the way Gr.1 Captain Cook Stakes (1600m) winner Rock On Wood has come through his exertions on Saturday but isn't rushing to make immediate plans for his next start.
"He has come through it pretty well actually and is looking pretty spritely," the Levin horsewoman said.
"He is nominated for the Thorndon (Gr.1, 1600m) and at this stage I am not sure where I will go before then. I will give him a few days.
"I think he is suited to a mile. It is probably his pet distance at this stage."
Elliot, whose son Ryan rode the horse to Group One glory on Saturday, said she was pleasantly surprised by the Trentham track conditions and the manner in which Rock On Wood handled the Slow7.
"He is a lot more mature and a much stronger horse now, so he got away with it on Saturday," she said.
"But the conditions were a lot better than we could have hoped for because it was a bad start to the week with the weather."
The six-year-old gelding has had just 17 career starts, for eight wins and four placings.
"In his second preparation he cut his leg, which needed time off and then he got quite a bad rash which also needed a bit of time to clear up, so it was just the way that season worked out," Elliot said.
"Following that, it just worked out that he liked his runs a little bit spaced."
Elliot confirmed that throughout the course of Rock On Wood's career, plenty of overseas offers had come for the son of Redwood, whom Elliot owns in partnership with her mother Jill and sister Yvonne.
"The main thing is we like to race our horses and it is not often you get one like this," she said.
"It was pretty special for Ryan to get his first Group One win on the horse."
Stakes assignment for impressive Ellerslie winner
Promising filly Amarelinha made amends for a narrow defeat on debut with an impressive victory over 1300m at Ellerslie on Saturday.
The Jamie Richards-trained three-year-old had impressed with two trial victories before stepping out at Awapuni last month where she made up good ground late in the piece to be beaten by a nose by local runner Wild Moose.
A wide barrier draw (15) saw punters tread carefully on the weekend but they were well rewarded thanks to a class effort by jockey Craig Grylls who had the Savabeel filly one off the fence most of the way before Amarelinha burst away at the 200m to score easily by one and half lengths.
Purchased by Te Akau Racing principal David Ellis CNZM for $300,000 at the 2019 Karaka Book 1 Sale, from the draft of Waikato Stud, Ellis believes the filly has plenty ahead of her.
"We've got some of our very best owners in this filly and I thought she was very impressive," he said.
"It was a beautiful ride by Craig Grylls to overcome the wide draw and that's just how I like our horses ridden – find cover in midfield and get home strongly – and she finished off like a really good filly in the making."
Richards suggested Amarelinha could next be seen on Boxing Day at Ellerslie, in either a 1400m three-year-old event or the Gr.2 Eight Carat Classic (1600m), before contesting the Karaka Million 3YO Classic (1600m) in January.
"She's a filly we've got a lot of time for," Richards said.
"David (Ellis) paid a bit of money for her at the Karaka Sales, but she was an absolutely beautiful filly.
"By our champion sire Savabeel, the first foal out of a young O'Reilly mare, and we really liked her because she reminded us of Probabeel.
"Through this win in good order, we should see her racing again on Boxing Day at Ellerslie, and hopefully onwards and upwards to the Karaka Million Mile."
Amarelinha is from the family of Gr.1 Rosehill Guineas (2000m) winner Metal Bender, who won nine races in Australia and the title of top Australian three-year-old in his year.
Australian Cup for Night's Watch
Enigmatic galloper Night's Watch is likely to be aimed at the Gr.1 Australian Cup (2000m) at Flemington on March 6.
The multiple Group Three winner, who commenced his career in New Zealand under the tutelage of Peter and Dawn Williams and Paul Richards, has had a slew of trainers since relocating across the Tasman.
Night's Watch made an impressive debut for Ballarat trainer Archie Alexander at Pakenham on Saturday, running on strongly to finish second behind dominant winner Tavidance when lumping 62kgs in the David Bourke Memorial (1600m).
Alexander is the fifth trainer of the son of Redwood, following Darren Weir, Ciaron Maher and Dave Eustace and Chris Waller.
The OTI Racing-owned seven year-old, who has won nine races from 36 starts, will have a light summer campaign before connections turn towards key autumn targets.