Tarka is all set to win his first test past a mile in the Gloaming Stakes Gr.3 at Rosehill on Saturday.
That’s David Payne’s take on the 1800m event for the best 3yo staying prospects in Sydney. His All Too Hard colt is coming off a resounding victory in the Stan Fox Stakes Gr.2 when he ran down Dealmaker over 1500m.
“He’s tough and has come through it well,” Payne told Racing NSW. “He’s happy and on track. There’s no Dealmaker this time but I would have been happy to take him on again. My bloke did get pushed around the other day and I think he’s improved a bit as well.”
Tarka (pictured) heads markets at $2.60 for the Gloaming Stakes and will firm into favouritism for the Spring Champion Stakes Gr 1 on October 6 with another win on Saturday. He’s currently on the second line at $7 behind Dealmaker at $5.
All Too Hard has All Too Huiying engaged later in the day for the Shannon Stakes Gr.2 and there are several other stakes prospects in action at Caulfield. His Newcastle filly Reginae is challenging for favouritism in the Jim Moloney Stakes LR and last-start provincial winner Illuminaire can also play a hand at long odds.
Reginae was labelled ‘bombproof’ by trainer Kris Lees following wins in her first two outings at Kembla and Randwick. “She has a very bright future,” he predicted. “She has a terrific attitude and that will help her settle down in Melbourne.”
A winning hat-trick will set up an exciting clash with stablemate Smart Melody in the Thousand Guineas Gr.1 at Caulfield on October 13.
Caulfield’s Group 1 card also pits Vinery-sired mares Ellicazoom (Testa Rossa) and Life On The Wire (Pluck) against each other in the How Now Stakes Gr.3 which is named the Ladbrokes Odds Boost Stakes this year.
Lindsay Park trainer David Hayes has nominated Ellicazoom as the stable’s best bet at Caulfield going on her last-start victory in the Cockram Stakes Gr.2. “She was brilliant first-up and I think she will do it again,” he said. “She has really trained on and I’m very happy with her.”
Testa Rossa is still in service at Vinery albeit over a limited list of shareholder mares. His other black-type hopefuls this weekend are Mica Lil in the Wylie Hcp LR at Morphettville and Dreamtesta in the Canterbury Belle Stakes LR at Riccarton.
All Too Hard has a doppelgänger on either side of the Tasman this weekend with Domination on Saturday and Demonetization on Sunday.
Domination is a short-priced favourite for the aptly named Dominant Hcp at Morphettville after bolting in by 6 lengths at Balaklava. And one-time NZ Derby favourite Demonetization races first-up following a fetlock injury in the Splice Construction Hcp at Pukekohe.
“We are going to take it one step at a time,” trainer Nigel Tiley said after his unplaced trial at Avondale last Tuesday. “He just stretched his legs. Jason (Waddell) was really happy and we will start making some long-range plans after Sunday.”
Demonetization hasn’t faced the starter since winning the Auckland Guineas Gr.2 on New Year’s Day.
In New York, More Than Ready’s British-bred filly Uni is the 7-5 morning-line favourite to make it three-from-three this year in the Noble Damsel Stakes Gr.3 at Belmont Park on Saturday. Her only starts this season have resulted in Listed victories at Aqueduct and Saratoga. Uni is part-owned by Robert LaPenta and he races More Than’s Ready’s last-start Travers Stakes Gr.1 hero Catholic Boy.
The Vinery legend also has Ready to Confess favoured at 5-2 for the All Along Stakes LR at Laurel Park. She claimed her first black-type last December and is one of four entrants from trainer Graham Notion.
