El Sagrado
Race Images PNth
Moira Murdoch doesn't look too far ahead with El Sagrado, but she is expecting another strong showing from the mare on Saturday.
The Waiuku trainer sent the unsound five-year-old south in a bid to enhance her future value as a broodmare and that was achieved to a degree with a bold second in the Gr.3 South Island Breeders' Stakes at Riccarton.
El Sagrado was narrowly denied on a Good 3 track and she will attempt to go one better in her return to the south's premier course for the Listed Christchurch Casino Ester Cup.
"That was a super run the other day as she would have appreciated a little bit of rain," Murdoch said.
"She would really have liked some easing of the ground, but she still ran really well and she's come through it nicely."
The European-bred El Sagrado made an encouraging start to her career for breeders Raffles Farm when she won two of her first four starts, including one at the Sunshine Coast, for Cambridge trainer Tony Pike.
"She came to me after she had a suspensory ligament issue and working on the beach in a straight line has helped her," Murdoch said.
El Sagrado finished fifth in her first appearance from her new quarters and she ran third at Te Rapa last month to earn herself a trip away in search of black type honours.
"She is a race by race proposition so we can't plan too far ahead and we'll see how she goes on Saturday," Murdoch said. – NZ Racing Desk.
The Waiuku trainer sent the unsound five-year-old south in a bid to enhance her future value as a broodmare and that was achieved to a degree with a bold second in the Gr.3 South Island Breeders' Stakes at Riccarton.
El Sagrado was narrowly denied on a Good 3 track and she will attempt to go one better in her return to the south's premier course for the Listed Christchurch Casino Ester Cup.
"That was a super run the other day as she would have appreciated a little bit of rain," Murdoch said.
"She would really have liked some easing of the ground, but she still ran really well and she's come through it nicely."
The European-bred El Sagrado made an encouraging start to her career for breeders Raffles Farm when she won two of her first four starts, including one at the Sunshine Coast, for Cambridge trainer Tony Pike.
"She came to me after she had a suspensory ligament issue and working on the beach in a straight line has helped her," Murdoch said.
El Sagrado finished fifth in her first appearance from her new quarters and she ran third at Te Rapa last month to earn herself a trip away in search of black type honours.
"She is a race by race proposition so we can't plan too far ahead and we'll see how she goes on Saturday," Murdoch said. – NZ Racing Desk.