I Am Poppy
Race Images Palmerston North
New Plymouth owner-trainer Warren Bolton is keeping his excitement in check over his talented filly I Am Poppy.
"The great Irish poet W. B. Yeats said 'tread softly because you may tread on my dreams' and that's my attitude to racing – you can't get carried away," he said.
Bolton is happy to take a quiet short-term approach with I Am Poppy, whose form took on greater significance at the weekend.
The daughter of I Am Invincible has won her last two starts with ease and in her most recent success at Te Rapa she trounced Lasarla, who came out and comfortably accounted for a competitive line-up of mares in the Gr.2 Auckland Thoroughbred Breeders' Stakes.
"She does go well and she'll run at Wanganui on Saturday in a Rating 75 over 1320 metres," Bolton said. "She's certainly going in the right direction."
I Am Poppy has also been nominated for the Gr.1 J. R. & N. Berkett Telegraph at Trentham and Bolton is keen to give the three-year-old her chance in the January 21 feature.
"It's tough for a filly, but I'd like to take advantage of the conditions under the set weights and penalties," he said.
"There's a long way to go yet though and she would have to win at least another two races."
I Am Poppy was unplaced in both of her starts last season, but practice has made perfect.
"She had a trial and I wanted to give her a couple of runs before I turned her out," Bolton said.
"Experience helps them to cope with the work and she has become a lot more relaxed."
I Am Poppy is one of three horses Bolton has in work with Grace Invader, a Duporth filly with placings from both her starts, to also run at Wanganui while an unraced juvenile completes the team.
"Grace Invader just blew out in the last 50 metres at her last start and she works just as well as I Am Poppy," he said. "The Burgundy is a nice two-year-old and he trialled well at Waverley."
He finished runner-up in his 800 metre heat behind subsequent race day winner Hard Merchandize, also by Burgundy. – NZ Racing Desk.
"The great Irish poet W. B. Yeats said 'tread softly because you may tread on my dreams' and that's my attitude to racing – you can't get carried away," he said.
Bolton is happy to take a quiet short-term approach with I Am Poppy, whose form took on greater significance at the weekend.
The daughter of I Am Invincible has won her last two starts with ease and in her most recent success at Te Rapa she trounced Lasarla, who came out and comfortably accounted for a competitive line-up of mares in the Gr.2 Auckland Thoroughbred Breeders' Stakes.
"She does go well and she'll run at Wanganui on Saturday in a Rating 75 over 1320 metres," Bolton said. "She's certainly going in the right direction."
I Am Poppy has also been nominated for the Gr.1 J. R. & N. Berkett Telegraph at Trentham and Bolton is keen to give the three-year-old her chance in the January 21 feature.
"It's tough for a filly, but I'd like to take advantage of the conditions under the set weights and penalties," he said.
"There's a long way to go yet though and she would have to win at least another two races."
I Am Poppy was unplaced in both of her starts last season, but practice has made perfect.
"She had a trial and I wanted to give her a couple of runs before I turned her out," Bolton said.
"Experience helps them to cope with the work and she has become a lot more relaxed."
I Am Poppy is one of three horses Bolton has in work with Grace Invader, a Duporth filly with placings from both her starts, to also run at Wanganui while an unraced juvenile completes the team.
"Grace Invader just blew out in the last 50 metres at her last start and she works just as well as I Am Poppy," he said. "The Burgundy is a nice two-year-old and he trialled well at Waverley."
He finished runner-up in his 800 metre heat behind subsequent race day winner Hard Merchandize, also by Burgundy. – NZ Racing Desk.