Vinery sire Onemorenomore lit the fuse for a black-type weekend with an Australia wide hat-trick on Friday.
His second-season statistics are gathering momentum with Bentles opening his account with an on-pace victory at Ipswich. Meanwhile, Onemoregypsy (Goulburn) and Japanese Slipper (Moe) were both winning for the second time from only a handful of starts.
Onemoregypsy was always prominent winning for the second time at her home track while Japanese Slipper was a first-up winner on Australia Day before doubling up in a hectic finish for Epona Park owners Jeff and Janine Allis.
Onemorenomore (Red Ransom) has earned over $530,000 this season and his second-crop have won 21 races which puts him 6th in the Australian Top 10.
His front-line have the artillery to keep climbing up the table on Saturday starting with Onemorezeta in the G2 Light Fingers Stakes (1200m) at Randwick. The Kris Lees trained filly emerged winning 3 of her 4 starts during the spring culminating with a Group 3 victory in Gucci Stakes (1100m) at Flemington.
“I couldn’t be happier with her,” trainer Kris Lee said in the lead-up to the $175,000 feature. “She’s improved off a good break and I think she will be competitive. She took the next step every run last prep but there are some genuine top-class fillies engaged.
“This is her biggest test. If she comes through well we might look at the Surround Stakes over 1400 metres. There is no main target at this stage. We will learn more after Saturday.”
Elsewhere, Onemorenomore gelding Tonto begins his autumn campaign in the LR Challenge Stakes (1500m) at Ascot. He has drawn an outside gate in the $100,000 event and should settle back in the field with 57.5kg.
Tonto did win fresh over 1300 metres at Belmont last prep but trainer Lou Luciani will having him peaking over longer trips in readiness for the WA Derby (2400m) in April.
Luciani originally intended to start Tonto first-up on February 28 but brought it forward a fortnight. “He’s been working very well and I’m pretty confident he will keep improving. But we have to be careful because he has only had a short let-up.”
In New Zealand, Onemorenomore filly Purcentage will be hoping for better luck in the Auckland Eye Hcp (1200m) at Ellerslie on Saturday. Last time out at Te Rapa, she was beaten less than a length when stewards reported she; ‘Began awkwardly and then raced in restricted room at the half-mile. Held up for a distance before shifting out to obtain clear running at the 100m mark’.
The Graham Richardson trained three year-old will attempt to go one better than Onemorenomore filly Sacred Trust who was beaten a half-head for the second time in a row at Te Aroha on Friday.
Purcentage was a brilliant debut winner at Avondale and followed up with a commendable third in the LR Ryder Stakes at Otaki. Trainer Graham Richardson will soon step her back into black-type company if she fires in Auckland on Saturday.
