Black type targets await promising filly Mis Speaks who will return to competition on her home track at Riccarton on Saturday.
She will take on a competitive age group event line-up in the NZ Cup Meeting Tickets On Sale Now 3YO (1000m) and trainer Meg Cunneen has been more than satisfied with her representative’s progress ahead of her seasonal debut.
A daughter of Spieth, Mis Speaks showed her precocity as a juvenile when she won both of her trials before winning at the first time of asking over this course and distance back in February.
“She’s ready to go again, we had a minor setback with her during her two-year-old season. That’s why she never came back later on, we had a few issues with a hoof abscess,” Cunneen said.
“She’s on trial now for the Canterbury Belle Stakes (Listed, 1200m) and we expect her to go a pretty good race, but whatever she does she will improve on.”
Experienced jockey Terry Moseley will continue his association with Mis Speaks, who will have to overcome an awkward alley (13) to make her presence felt.
“It will be hard from the wide draw, but Illicit Dreams is inside her so hopefully she gets a nice drag across,” Cunneen said.
“As long as she can finish off the race strongly we will be happy going forward to the Canterbury Belle.”
Mis Speaks has been entered in the Gr.1 Barneswood Farm New Zealand 1000 Guineas (1600m) and a crack at the Classic is the dream goal.
“We’ve got her nominated and whether she will get a mile or not I’m not too sure just yet, but she is heading the right way,” Cunneen said.
“She has got a laid-back nature and is quite a kind ride so she deserves her chance.”
On entering Cunneen’s stable last year, Mis Speaks proved herself to be a fast learner.
“She’s been extremely straight forward, we got her about this time last year after she had been broken in,” Cunneen said.
“Originally, we were only going to do two weeks and turn her out, but everything we threw at her she did so easily.
“She won her first trial and we turned her out and she came back and trialled again and then won her first start.”
Mis Speaks is owned by Noel Nicholson, who also races the quality performer Charms Star.
The Lisa Latta-trained daughter of Per Incanto has won twice, including victory in the Gr.3 Manawatu Breeders’ Stakes and finished runner-up in both the Gr.1 New Zealand Oaks (2400m) and the Gr.1 Queensland Oaks (2200m).
“Noel is quite a big supporter of mine, he’s a surgeon and is in Christchurch and has family in Hawke’s Bay so he goes back and forward a bit,” Cunneen said.
“I’ve got a few for him and he works through (bloodstock agent) Paul Willetts and usually buys them as weanlings and we get them up and going.
“They are mainly fillies and if they get some black type, he breeds from them.”
Mis Speaks was a A$12,000 Magic Millions National Weanling Sale purchase out of Segenhoe Stud’s draft with Willetts signing the ticket for the chestnut, who is from the family of the three-time Group One winner Freemason.
