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Blinkers off Derby contender; Riccarton lead-up for Oaks hopeful; Puissance de Lune retired to stud.
Blinkers off Derby contender
Ballymore Stables will take a different approach with their Gr.1 TV3 New Zealand Derby hope Margin Trader at Ellerslie on Saturday.“We’ll take the blinkers off and that should help him to relax,” racing manager Nick Fairweather said.
The Michael Moroney and Chad Ormsby-prepared gelding has raced in head gear in all four of his New Zealand starts.Margin Trader was fifth in both the Gr.2 Great Northern Guineas and the Gr.2 Waikato Guineas before he was unplaced in the Gr.2 Avondale Guineas.
“He hasn’t had a lot of luck in his lead-up races and he over-raced a bit the other day,” Fairweather said. “He needs a good draw and some cover and we think he’s a strong chance.”Riccarton lead-up for Oaks hopeful
Another Coup will compete her Gr.1 Wellfield New Zealand Oaks preparation on her home track.The Michael and Matthew Pitman-trained filly will start in a Rating 85 event over 1800 metres at Riccarton next week as a lead in to the Trentham classic on March 14.
“She’s going well and it’s a race on her back door,” Michael Pitman said, “She’s got a good record backing up so that’s no problem.”Another Coup followed her Listed Dunedin Guineas victory with a strong performance to beat the older horses at Riccarton last week.
“I can’t recall a three-year-old filly winning an open handicap over a bit of ground before,” Pitman said.Puissance de Lune retired to stud
Injury has forced the retirement of the dual Group Two winner Puissance de Lune."He had some fetlock trouble in the past and he galloped last week and galloped well,” trainer Darren Weir said.
"After he galloped he pulled up with some swelling and he was in pain when flexed so we took an x-ray and there was a small chip in there."He was a good horse and we probably didn’t see the best of him, but there are a lot of horses like that.”
A seven-year-old son of Shamardal, Puissance de Lune will be retired to stand at Swettenham Stud.