Racing: 'All systems go' for Belle Miraaj

Belle Miraaj will have a new rider in Samantha Wynne for her tilt at the Southland Guineas at...
Belle Miraaj will have a new rider in Samantha Wynne for her tilt at the Southland Guineas at Ascot Park tomorrow. Photo by Matt Smith.
As pick-up rides go, Samantha Wynne could do worse than Belle Miraaj - much worse, in fact.

Wynne will take the reins on the Iffraaj filly in the listed Southland Guineas at Ascot Park tomorrow after regular rider Jamie Bates completed his planned move to Victoria.

''It's a very good situation and I'm very grateful to be on such a nice filly,'' Wynne said.

Wynne rode Gold Allure to eighth in the Dunedin Guineas, but the Kevin Myers-trained 3yr-old was set to go home, so Wynne accepted the ride on Belle Miraaj.

However, when the nominations for the Guineas were light, Myers decided to send Gold Allure to Invercargill for another run.

''I wanted to do right by Kevin but I was engaged with Belle Miraaj when the nominations came out so it was a bit difficult but he's all good [with Wynne's decision].''

Wynne kept an eye on Belle Miraaj during the Dunedin Guineas and described her effort to run fourth to Another Coup as ''massive''.

''She was outside me and I had cover. She covered a lot of ground that day and still ran a good honest race.

''I think Riding Shotgun is the biggest danger - he's a lot of class - but being on our home track, Mrs Robinson does a great job producing her on the day so I think it's all systems go on Saturday really.''

Belle Miraaj makes up just one of a strong book of rides for Wynne, including engagements on Our Bee Jay in the Invercargill Gold Cup and Miss Three Stars in the Summer Cup.

Miss Three Stars drops back to rating 85 company after starting in the group 1 Thorndon Mile at Trentham last month, following a fifth in the Anniversary Handicap a week earlier.

''She went a massive race in the first day in Wellington, and in the group 1, she never really got into it,'' she said.

''She's come back a different horse. Tommy was planning on putting her out for a few weeks but he put her out for a week and she's been jumping around and she's actually put on weight.''

The Cromwell and Riverton cups are next on Miss Three Star's agenda but Wynne expects the 5yr-old, who has risen through the grades rapidly, to improve with another 12 months under the belt.

''Even in the Thorndon Mile, the way she made ground on that class of horse - in another year, she'll be better again. She definitely has a great finish on her, and she's a tough horse.''

Wynne is yet to ride Our Bee Jay on race day but will have a sit on the 8yr-old tomorrow morning, to get a feel for the Lisa Vaughan-trained gelding, who last raced in the Wellington Cup on January 24.

''Lisa has told me all about him and I've followed the horse a lot. He went good there last year and then he came back and won the Invercargill Gold Cup, so I hope he can do the same again this year.''

As for the rest, Wynne thinks Go Danske (race 2) will win a race in short order, even if he does not come in a fresh state tomorrow.

''I have a nice book [of rides] on paper, so I'm just hoping for a good day.''

New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing granted a class A training partnership to Claire and Hec Anderton yesterday, replacing the temporary partnership set up last week for Claire and the late Steven Anderton.

The new partnership has Dance entered in race 2 at Ascot Park tomorrow.

Add a Comment