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Saturday will mark the return of racing to Ellerslie Racecourse and last season’s New Zealand Champion Three-Year-Old Orchestral.
The now four-year-old mare is unbeaten at the Auckland track in three starts, winning the TAB Karaka Millions 3YO (1600m), Gr.2 Avondale Guineas (1600m), and Gr.1 New Zealand Derby (2400m).
She subsequently went on to win the Gr.1 Vinery Stud Stakes (2000m) at Rosehill and finished third in the Gr.1 Australian Oaks (2400m).
Trainers Roger James and Robert Wellwood have been pleased with the way she has returned, and have given her a trial at Taupo and jump-out at Ellerslie in the lead-up to her resuming run in the Almanzor – Proven Value 1400.
The daughter of Savabeel will carry 60.5kg from barrier six, with Craig Grylls aboard, two-kilograms less than Group One winner Campionessa.
"It is good to be finally getting her out there and it's nice to see a horse above her (in the weights). We thought we would be top weight," Wellwood told Trackside.
"We have been pretty soft on her this spring, she has grown a lot between three and four.
"She looks a completely different mare now, she has got a big wither, she has probably lengthened out a little bit. She is probably only a frame of what she is going to be in six to 12 months.
"She had a good jump-out at Ellerslie. We were thinking perhaps heading to the Arrowfield (Gr.1 1600m), but after that jump-out we thought if we tried to get her there we would probably flatten her first-up. That's the reason she is going to Ellerslie. 1400m and you know you are going to get a good track there. It will bring her forward for her next run."
Despite being a short-priced $2.20 favourite with TAB bookmakers, Wellwood believes 1400m will be too short for his charge this weekend.
"We are going into the weekend pretty happy with her," he said. "1400m is going to be too short for her, but as long as she is hitting the line well and comes through it well, heading to a mile and further into the prep is where we are hoping to be competitive."
Australian targets beckon Orchestral post-Saturday, With the Cambridge trainers weighing up between either Sydney or Melbourne.
"The two options that we are looking at are the Toorak (Gr.1, 1600m) in Melbourne, which is three weeks post Ellerslie, or four weeks to the Angst Stakes (Gr.3, 1600m), which is a mares' mile in Sydney."
Orchestral will be joined in Saturday's contest by stablemate Sudbina , who is on a path towards New Zealand Cup Week at Riccarton Park in November.
"She went nicely in her first run without a trial, so she is going to come along from that well. Her work has been very good and I think the race will suit her," Wellwood said.
"She is ready to run a race and she is at a light weight (54kg). Whether she has got the class of the top two or three, we are unsure, but she is a nice mare and I think we are going to see her come into a nice race.
"She has got a nomination for the TAB Mile (Gr.3, 1600m) at Riccarton, so we have got that pencilled in, but we are just going to have to see how she is going. There are a lot of nice races around and there are some good fillies and mares options over Christmas and New Year.
