Sofia Rosa
Race Images Palmerston North
Stephen Marsh can't find fault with Sofia Rosa going into Saturday's Gr.1 Wellfield New Zealand Oaks (2400m) at Trentham.
The Cambridge trainer has had three previous unplaced runners in the New Zealand Oaks but none have gone into the three-year-old fillies Classic with Sofia Rosa's credentials.
A horror fall, the result of clipping heels, in the Gr.2 Eight Carat Classic (1600m) at Ellerslie on Boxing Day remains Sofia Rosa's only defeat in New Zealand this season, having won twice - at Hastings and Ellerslie before Christmas.
She bounced back a week after the Eight Carat to win the Gr.2 Royal Stakes (2000m) at Ellerslie on New Year's Day and has since won the Gr.3 Lowland Stakes (2100m) at Hastings.
"She's done great. She's come through the Lowland perfectly and she hasn't put a foot wrong since," Marsh said.
"She's trained well for this and I can't fault the way she looks. She's got a good draw and everything looks in her favour. It still won't be an easy race to win but if you look at the field two months ago and what it looks like now, it's certainly lost some of its depth."
Marsh rated fellow Cambridge filly Mime as the hardest to beat for Sofia Rosa, who could have one further run this preparation in the Gr.1 Australian Oaks (2400m) at Randwick on April 9 should she perform and pull up to the trainer's satisfaction on her Trentham trip.
Marsh has a good stable representation at Trentham with Ruud Not Too and Glorious Beijing slated for the Gr.2 Go Racing Syndications Wellington Guineas (1400m), What A Diva set for the Listed Lincoln Farms New Zealand St Leger (2500m) and Santiago down to run on the undercard.
At Te Rapa, the trio of Barbaric, Procurement and Oceania are on trial for the Listed New Zealand Bloodstock Finance & Leasing Sprint (1200m) at Hastings on April 16 when they contest Saturday's Team Wealleans 1200.
"That Hastings sprint would be a nice target for all of them. They are all nice sprinting types and Procurement especially, I'd love her to become a stakes winner before she retires," Marsh said. - NZ Racing Desk
The Cambridge trainer has had three previous unplaced runners in the New Zealand Oaks but none have gone into the three-year-old fillies Classic with Sofia Rosa's credentials.
A horror fall, the result of clipping heels, in the Gr.2 Eight Carat Classic (1600m) at Ellerslie on Boxing Day remains Sofia Rosa's only defeat in New Zealand this season, having won twice - at Hastings and Ellerslie before Christmas.
She bounced back a week after the Eight Carat to win the Gr.2 Royal Stakes (2000m) at Ellerslie on New Year's Day and has since won the Gr.3 Lowland Stakes (2100m) at Hastings.
"She's done great. She's come through the Lowland perfectly and she hasn't put a foot wrong since," Marsh said.
"She's trained well for this and I can't fault the way she looks. She's got a good draw and everything looks in her favour. It still won't be an easy race to win but if you look at the field two months ago and what it looks like now, it's certainly lost some of its depth."
Marsh rated fellow Cambridge filly Mime as the hardest to beat for Sofia Rosa, who could have one further run this preparation in the Gr.1 Australian Oaks (2400m) at Randwick on April 9 should she perform and pull up to the trainer's satisfaction on her Trentham trip.
Marsh has a good stable representation at Trentham with Ruud Not Too and Glorious Beijing slated for the Gr.2 Go Racing Syndications Wellington Guineas (1400m), What A Diva set for the Listed Lincoln Farms New Zealand St Leger (2500m) and Santiago down to run on the undercard.
At Te Rapa, the trio of Barbaric, Procurement and Oceania are on trial for the Listed New Zealand Bloodstock Finance & Leasing Sprint (1200m) at Hastings on April 16 when they contest Saturday's Team Wealleans 1200.
"That Hastings sprint would be a nice target for all of them. They are all nice sprinting types and Procurement especially, I'd love her to become a stakes winner before she retires," Marsh said. - NZ Racing Desk
