Capella
Trish Dunell
Capella is the name of the brightest star of the night sky and it's fitting that it's also the name of the filly that will anchor Matamata trainer Danica Guy's stellar team on one of the biggest days on the racing calendar.
Guy has just 10 horses presently in work, but will saddle six runners at Ellerslie on New Year's Day, remarkably five of them in Group races.
Capella will back up six days after her brilliant Gr.2 Eight Carat Classic success at Ellerslie on Boxing Day when the Rip Van Winkle filly tackles 2000m for the first time in the Gr.2 Mongolian Khan Royal Stakes, while last year's winner In Style is joined by Tomorrowland to give Guy a two-pronged attack at the feature Gr.1 Sistema Railway Stakes.
Surpass will attempt to improve on his third placing in last year's Gr.3 Scot Thrust City Of Auckland Cup, while Khar Khorum contests the Gr.3 Barneswood Farm Eclipse Stakes for two-year-olds.
Special conditions maiden entry Thornhill completes Guy's team, though she says he is an uncertain starter from a wide barrier draw.
"It's pretty big for us. It's a huge effort for a stable with 10 in work," Guy said.
"We've got five running in Group races and you couldn't rule any of them out as winning chances."
The Gary Harding-bred and raced Capella burst to the top of the three-year-old fillies' ladder with her comprehensive Eight Carat Classic win last Saturday and Guy said she expected her to be hard to beat again in the Royal Stakes.
"She seems to have come through the race really well. She's bright, eating up and very sound," Guy said.
"There's no red flags to say not to run - and I've been looking hard for one. It was a super effort the other day and I think there's still improvement in her. She's still not the finished product either by any means. It's hard to know how much a run like that has taken out of her as she recovers so quickly."
A $2.60 favourite for the Royal Stakes, Capella ran out in the closing stages of the race at her first Ellerslie appearance but Guy had no concerns about her doing that again on Friday in a race that would help determine what path she takes for the autumn.
"We had tossed up between this one or waiting for the Levin Classic, but this was the preferred option because it allows me to put her in the paddock for a week afterwards," Guy said.
"She'll probably go straight into the Sir Tristram Fillies' Classic at Te Rapa [on February 13] then we have to make a big decision after that. I'd like to get her ready for the New Zealand Derby then have a go at the Australian Oaks but the alternative is setting her for the Oaks here. We'll just see how she is."
Guy was thrilled with the rest of her Ellerslie team, reporting that In Style had improved significantly in the past two weeks as she prepared to defend her Railway crown.
"The last week of her work has been a lot more pleasing. She's back to her old self and I'm really happy with where we're at going into the race. I'm certainly a lot happier than I was a couple of weeks ago," Guy said.
"The only concern would be rain - and that would bring Tomorrowland right into the race. He worked up really well with her the other morning and he's a lot more tractable now. Those two 1400m starts have really worked the oracle with him and he'll run a bold 1200m."
On City Of Auckland Cup hopeful Surpass, Guy said: "He's really well. He's only had two runs this preparation but he's come to hand at the right time."
She expected Khar Khorum to hit the line strongly in the Eclipse. "He's a strong two-year-old, both physically and mentally. He's ready to run 1400m now." - NZ Racing Desk
Guy has just 10 horses presently in work, but will saddle six runners at Ellerslie on New Year's Day, remarkably five of them in Group races.
Capella will back up six days after her brilliant Gr.2 Eight Carat Classic success at Ellerslie on Boxing Day when the Rip Van Winkle filly tackles 2000m for the first time in the Gr.2 Mongolian Khan Royal Stakes, while last year's winner In Style is joined by Tomorrowland to give Guy a two-pronged attack at the feature Gr.1 Sistema Railway Stakes.
Surpass will attempt to improve on his third placing in last year's Gr.3 Scot Thrust City Of Auckland Cup, while Khar Khorum contests the Gr.3 Barneswood Farm Eclipse Stakes for two-year-olds.
Special conditions maiden entry Thornhill completes Guy's team, though she says he is an uncertain starter from a wide barrier draw.
"It's pretty big for us. It's a huge effort for a stable with 10 in work," Guy said.
"We've got five running in Group races and you couldn't rule any of them out as winning chances."
The Gary Harding-bred and raced Capella burst to the top of the three-year-old fillies' ladder with her comprehensive Eight Carat Classic win last Saturday and Guy said she expected her to be hard to beat again in the Royal Stakes.
"She seems to have come through the race really well. She's bright, eating up and very sound," Guy said.
"There's no red flags to say not to run - and I've been looking hard for one. It was a super effort the other day and I think there's still improvement in her. She's still not the finished product either by any means. It's hard to know how much a run like that has taken out of her as she recovers so quickly."
A $2.60 favourite for the Royal Stakes, Capella ran out in the closing stages of the race at her first Ellerslie appearance but Guy had no concerns about her doing that again on Friday in a race that would help determine what path she takes for the autumn.
"We had tossed up between this one or waiting for the Levin Classic, but this was the preferred option because it allows me to put her in the paddock for a week afterwards," Guy said.
"She'll probably go straight into the Sir Tristram Fillies' Classic at Te Rapa [on February 13] then we have to make a big decision after that. I'd like to get her ready for the New Zealand Derby then have a go at the Australian Oaks but the alternative is setting her for the Oaks here. We'll just see how she is."
Guy was thrilled with the rest of her Ellerslie team, reporting that In Style had improved significantly in the past two weeks as she prepared to defend her Railway crown.
"The last week of her work has been a lot more pleasing. She's back to her old self and I'm really happy with where we're at going into the race. I'm certainly a lot happier than I was a couple of weeks ago," Guy said.
"The only concern would be rain - and that would bring Tomorrowland right into the race. He worked up really well with her the other morning and he's a lot more tractable now. Those two 1400m starts have really worked the oracle with him and he'll run a bold 1200m."
On City Of Auckland Cup hopeful Surpass, Guy said: "He's really well. He's only had two runs this preparation but he's come to hand at the right time."
She expected Khar Khorum to hit the line strongly in the Eclipse. "He's a strong two-year-old, both physically and mentally. He's ready to run 1400m now." - NZ Racing Desk