Authentic Paddy (outer)
Trish Dunell
Surprise Group One performer Authentic Paddy is in excellent order for his latest challenge at the top level.
The six-year-old has thrived during a recent break and he is ready to pick up where he left off before Christmas with a bold showing in Saturday's Gr.1 Haunui Farm WFA Classic.
"He has really come up well and he had a good hit-out at the trials, which has really tightened him up," trainer Lisa Latta said. "He looks fantastic."
Authentic Paddy raced well during his winter campaign and continued his form on better surfaces through the spring to win open handicaps at Hastings and Awapuni.
"Early on we thought he was just a wet tracker, but as he has got older he's handled the better tracks and just kept going good races," Latta said.
He ran fifth in both the Gr.1 Livamol Classic and the Gr.1 Windsor Park Plate before he finished second in the Gr.1 Captain Cook Stakes and a break followed his third placing in the Gr.1 Zabeel Classic.
"We'll get through Saturday and then we may head back to Ellerslie," Latta said.
The race on Authentic Paddy's programme is the Gr.1 Bonecrusher New Zealand Stakes on March 12.
He will be ridden this weekend by Robert Hannam, who will also partner Platinum Express and Shirley's Secret for the stable at Otaki.
Runner-up in last season's Listed Wellesley Stakes, Platinum Express was checked in the straight when unplaced at Trentham last time out but with only four rivals in the Vets on Riverbank 3YO she should get every chance to bounce back to top form.
Shirley's Secret is a half-sister to Maritimo, who beat Platinum Express in the Wellesley, but she has yet to show a hint of the family ability and would need to improve sharply to threaten in the Mills Reef Winery Maiden. – NZ Racing Desk.
The six-year-old has thrived during a recent break and he is ready to pick up where he left off before Christmas with a bold showing in Saturday's Gr.1 Haunui Farm WFA Classic.
"He has really come up well and he had a good hit-out at the trials, which has really tightened him up," trainer Lisa Latta said. "He looks fantastic."
Authentic Paddy raced well during his winter campaign and continued his form on better surfaces through the spring to win open handicaps at Hastings and Awapuni.
"Early on we thought he was just a wet tracker, but as he has got older he's handled the better tracks and just kept going good races," Latta said.
He ran fifth in both the Gr.1 Livamol Classic and the Gr.1 Windsor Park Plate before he finished second in the Gr.1 Captain Cook Stakes and a break followed his third placing in the Gr.1 Zabeel Classic.
"We'll get through Saturday and then we may head back to Ellerslie," Latta said.
The race on Authentic Paddy's programme is the Gr.1 Bonecrusher New Zealand Stakes on March 12.
He will be ridden this weekend by Robert Hannam, who will also partner Platinum Express and Shirley's Secret for the stable at Otaki.
Runner-up in last season's Listed Wellesley Stakes, Platinum Express was checked in the straight when unplaced at Trentham last time out but with only four rivals in the Vets on Riverbank 3YO she should get every chance to bounce back to top form.
Shirley's Secret is a half-sister to Maritimo, who beat Platinum Express in the Wellesley, but she has yet to show a hint of the family ability and would need to improve sharply to threaten in the Mills Reef Winery Maiden. – NZ Racing Desk.