Nigel Tiley has mixed confidence levels about his inter-Island challenge this weekend.
The Pukekohe trainer will produce Showcasing colt Revered on debut in the Listed Swiss Ace @ Westbury Stud Wellesley Stakes (1200m) at Trentham, the two-year-old one of nine runners the stable has in action at four venues over the next two days.
Capable stayer Megablast will also race at Trentham on Saturday, while Bruegal races at Ellerslie the same day and Midnight Gossip looks to enhance her Gr.1 gavelhouse.com 1000 Guineas prospects at Riccarton.
The Tiley team at Pukekohe on Friday consists of Royal Mojito, Lupelani, Sono Veloce, Woodpecker Hill and Makdanife.
Tiley was pleased with Revered ahead of the Wellesley but conceded he was unsure what to expect on heavy going at Trentham.
"I don't know if he's going to handle the track. He ran third at the trials on a heavy track and second on a slow track but that was at Avondale," Tiley said.
"He's a lovely horse and the experience of the trip will do him the world of good but we're going with no real expectations. If it was a good track, I'd be very confident."
Tiley has the Karaka Million at Ellerslie in January as Revered's long-term aim and knows increasing the bank account is a crucial element in gaining a start.
"Every dollar counts towards the Karaka Million if he's good enough. If he did happen to win on Saturday, that would be the perfect scenario," Tiley said.
Three-year-old Midnight Gossip, Revered's big sister, hasn't raced since an unplaced run in last season's Gr.1 Diamond Stakes at Ellerslie but is out to seal a start in the Gr.1 1000 Guineas (1600m) at Riccarton on November 12 when she tackles Saturday's Canterbury Landscape Supplies 1200 at the same track.
She was booked to fly to Christchurch on Thursday morning, with Tiley bullish about her prospects first-up in the south.
"It looks a good race for her. I've been frustrated trying to get her ready with the way the ground has been but this is her Guineas trial and she's pretty spot on. She's got quality about her," Tiley said.
Meanwhile, Tiley said Megablast was most likely having his last run for the preparation in the Margaret Arnold Anniversary Premier (2400m) at Trentham though if he was to add a fourth win from his last five starts, he could earn a start in a race like next month's Gr.3 Counties Cup.
"He's been up a while but we thought we'd run him over the mile and a half and see how he handles it," Tiley said. - NZ Racing Desk
The Pukekohe trainer will produce Showcasing colt Revered on debut in the Listed Swiss Ace @ Westbury Stud Wellesley Stakes (1200m) at Trentham, the two-year-old one of nine runners the stable has in action at four venues over the next two days.
Capable stayer Megablast will also race at Trentham on Saturday, while Bruegal races at Ellerslie the same day and Midnight Gossip looks to enhance her Gr.1 gavelhouse.com 1000 Guineas prospects at Riccarton.
The Tiley team at Pukekohe on Friday consists of Royal Mojito, Lupelani, Sono Veloce, Woodpecker Hill and Makdanife.
Tiley was pleased with Revered ahead of the Wellesley but conceded he was unsure what to expect on heavy going at Trentham.
"I don't know if he's going to handle the track. He ran third at the trials on a heavy track and second on a slow track but that was at Avondale," Tiley said.
"He's a lovely horse and the experience of the trip will do him the world of good but we're going with no real expectations. If it was a good track, I'd be very confident."
Tiley has the Karaka Million at Ellerslie in January as Revered's long-term aim and knows increasing the bank account is a crucial element in gaining a start.
"Every dollar counts towards the Karaka Million if he's good enough. If he did happen to win on Saturday, that would be the perfect scenario," Tiley said.
Three-year-old Midnight Gossip, Revered's big sister, hasn't raced since an unplaced run in last season's Gr.1 Diamond Stakes at Ellerslie but is out to seal a start in the Gr.1 1000 Guineas (1600m) at Riccarton on November 12 when she tackles Saturday's Canterbury Landscape Supplies 1200 at the same track.
She was booked to fly to Christchurch on Thursday morning, with Tiley bullish about her prospects first-up in the south.
"It looks a good race for her. I've been frustrated trying to get her ready with the way the ground has been but this is her Guineas trial and she's pretty spot on. She's got quality about her," Tiley said.
Meanwhile, Tiley said Megablast was most likely having his last run for the preparation in the Margaret Arnold Anniversary Premier (2400m) at Trentham though if he was to add a fourth win from his last five starts, he could earn a start in a race like next month's Gr.3 Counties Cup.
"He's been up a while but we thought we'd run him over the mile and a half and see how he handles it," Tiley said. - NZ Racing Desk