The 6-year-old, Spring Heat, will be taking aim for the second time at the G1 JR & N Berkett Telegraph after suffering an interrupted passage in the race 12 months ago before powering home late for third.
The mare has also traditionally been given plenty of time to get over her races, but will be produced on Saturday off the back of her sixth placing at Ellerslie on New Year’s Day in the G1 Railway.
“We don’t often train mares this old because they are generally in the breeding barn. It’s taken us a little by surprise how much she has taken to come up this season,” said Andrew Scott, who prepares Spring Heat with Lance O’Sullivan.
“If anything, we think she has continued to improve with every run. We’re not saying she has improved a great deal out of the Railway, but she hasn’t taken a backward step.”
Lot 259 - More Than Ready (USA) x Emaurismo (filly) sold on Wednesday for $380,000
Spring Heat, whose sister was sold by Sledmere Stud to trainer Kelly Schweida for $380,000 during Wednesday’s session at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale, didn’t have all favours in the Railway from an awkward gate and was held up in traffic twice in the closing 600 metres.
“The way the race was run didn’t set it up for horses that were beyond midfield and that’s horse racing, that’s the way it can go, but her performance pleased us,” Scott said.
“She’s had a great last 10 days and this is the first time she has backed up in her life. We’ve always kept her races spaced, but for no particular reason.
“She seems to have come through the Railway the best of any of the races she’s had and that’s a sign of maturity.” – Andrew Scott
“She seems to have come through the Railway the best of any of the races she’s had and that’s a sign of maturity.”
Spring Heat, the Group 3 winner of the King’s Plate and Bonecrusher S., rushed home for third in last year’s Telegraph behind Avantage (Fastnet Rock) and Enzo’s Lad (Testa Rossa), both race rivals again.
“She’s going to run into a similar field to last year so one thing we know is she does the course and she does the trip,” Scott said.
“We’re confident she is there in good form and it just comes down to luck on the day. While luck wasn’t on our side last time, we’ve got to hope it falls on our shoulder this weekend.
“That’s what it comes down to in these big races, who gets the best draws and best runs and we’ve got to hope it falls our way.”
Spring Heat will be partnered by Craig Grylls and they will jump from barrier four in the feature sprint.
“The draw is definitely a big help, absolutely, it gives her a chance not to spend a penny through the first quarter of the race,” Scott said.
Hot Derby prospect
Spring Heat is raced by Hermitage Thoroughbreds, who also own stablemate Rocket Spade (Fastnet Rock), an impressive last-start winner of the G2 Auckland Guineas in his first appearance since running fifth in the G1 New Zealand 2000 Guineas in the spring.
Rocket Spade
“He handled his run well on the firmest ground he’s hit because he raced through the spring on yielding ground. He’s a big colt with a great constitution and handles his racing well,” Scott said.
“It didn’t surprise us that he’d run a mile out like that, that’s his genetics, and he’s a naturally fit horse. We were very hopeful of a performance like that, but maybe not expecting it.”
Rocket Spade will now make two more appearances before the G1 New Zealand Derby on March 6.
“We’re looking to run him in an open 2000 metre race on February 3 at Te Rapa and then we’ll go to the G2 Avondale Guineas. Hopefully, he’s still going in a manner that he will race competitively in the Derby,” Scott said.
