Art Beat, winner of the Winter Cup last Saturday, will break fresh ground if she can win the Winter Classic at Riccarton today.
A Winter Cup (1600m) winner has yet to win the Winter Classic (1800m). Art Beat will be having her first race beyond 1600m with Noel Harris retaining the mount.
The Winter Classic was over 2000m when it was inaugurated in 1993.
It was won by Player, trained at Riccarton by Dave and Jan Kerr and ridden by David Wadley. Corrigan Lad, upset winner of the Winter Cup that year in the hands of Russell McAra, finished ninth in the Winter Classic.
Arigna, ridden by Lisa Mumby (now Allpress) won the Classic in 1998.
Allpress rides Superturf today.
He ran Ishiabeel to a long head last year after winning the Winter Cup.
That marked a reduction in the distance of the race to 1800m.
A colt by O'Reilly from Lady Chanele and thus a brother to well-performed Ombre Rose, fetched top price of $145,000 at the South Island sale of 2yr-olds in Christchurch yesterday.
He was bought by N.C. Chan, of Hong Kong, who paid $85,000 for a Falkirk-Flytaine gelding.
The O'Reilly colt was sold by breeders Sheldon Murtha and Michael House through Berkley Stud, Greenpark.
Ombre Rose, winner of the South Island Breeders' Stakes, NZ Bloodstock Stakes and Warstep Stakes at Riccarton, is among seven winners left by Lady Chanele from as many foals to race.
The Falkirk colt offered by Mansfield Farm, Rangiora, is a half-brother to Mercury Mistress, winner of the NZ Bloodstock Stakes at Riccarton.
Otautau owners, John and Evelyn Carran paid $40,000 for a Coats Choice-Milk And Honey gelding, a brother to Milo, who has won them the Dunedin and Gore Guineas.
White Robe Lodge received a top price of $22,000 for a Gallant Guru-Personal Column colt who was sold to Victoria.
Trainer Tony Prendergast paid $22,500 for a Castledale-The Prima Donna gelding prepared by Steve Anderton for the Dennis brothers, of Woodlands.
The aggregate was $1,171,050 and the average $11,108.
