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Rating the form the Kiwis bring into this year’s Australian Guineas
Legarto broke new ground last year when she became the first Kiwi-trained galloper to win the Australian Guineas, but New Zealand's link to the 1600-metre event is almost as old as the race itself.
Military Plume, the winner of the maiden edition at Group 1 level in 1987, is joined by Zabeel, Jolly Old Mac, Mouawad, Dignity Dancer, Shamrocker, Ferlax and Grunt as Kiwi-bred winners, while a number in the care of New Zealand trainers were expected to win.
Zonda (1998), We Can Say It Now (2011) and Xtravagant (2016) were all beaten as favourite, while Catalyst was $3.40 second elect when in 2020.
Legarto restored faith in the Kiwis with her win and this year a couple of New Zealanders will be having their first run in Australia in the race.
The Pendragon, who raced as Pendragon in New Zealand, and Quintessa have been fighting out races on the North Island and will renew hostilities in Saturday's $1 million event at Flemington.
The Pendragon was beaten last start in the 3YO Karaka Millions, but by star filly Orchestral, and at his previous two starts he defeated Quintessa, most recently in the Group 2 Auckland Guineas (1400m).
Quintessa bounced out of that to win the Group 1 Levin Classic (1600m) before dropping back to the 1400m of the Group 1 BCD Group Sprint on February 10, in which she finished fourth.
Quintessa owns a Timeform high of 103, which is nine pounds inferior to the peak number Legarto brought into the Guineas – a number she replicated at Flemington.
The Pendragon ran 105 in the Karaka Millions but went 108 to win the Auckland Guineas.
The Kiwi duo almost certainly need to elevate to win on Saturday, with Legarto's Guineas number the equal-lowest afforded to a winner in the 38-year history of that race, a mark several Guineas rivals have already bettered.
Riff Rocket won the C S Hayes Stakes in 115, the same number he ran to win the Victoria Derby, while Zipaway also ran to 115 when narrowly beaten in last year's Northerly Stakes.
Apulia (114), Veight (113), King Colorado (113), Southport Tycoon (112) and Sunsets (112) are others who have already run to at least 112.
Riff Rocket is not surprisingly favourite and will be looking to again emulate Mahogany by completing the Derby/Guineas double.
Fourteen Derby winners have run in the Guineas with Mahogany, King's High and Hitotsu those to have won both races, while Prized Icon and Tarzino are the only other Derby winners to place, having both run second.
Riff Rocket became the first Derby winner since Mahogany to win the C S Hayes when he won that 1400m Group 3 on February 17.
The Hayes Stakes is clearly the best recent local guide to the Guineas, producing six of the past nine winners, including Wandjna, Hey Doc, Grunt and Alligator Blood, who all did the double.
Those three Guineas winners who didn't contest the Hayes Stakes were either first-up (Hitotsu) or did their lead-up work outside Victoria (Legarto and Mystic Journey).
King Colorado (second), Verdad (third), Otago (fourth), Hey Fat Cat (fifth), Cap Ferrat (sixth) and Run Harry Run (ninth) join Riff Rocket as Hayes Stakes runners in this year's Guineas.
