The broodmare paddock is beckoning Art Deco (NZ) (Road to Rock), but she will attempt to add a stakes victory to her resume before then when she starts in the Gr.3 Rich Hill Stud Taranaki Breeders’ (1400m) at Hawera on Saturday.
The daughter of Road To Rock has tested positive in-foal to Cambridge Stud stallion Almanzor, and while she already has black-type, her connections are hoping to add a stakes victory to her record before her raceday retirement.
The seven-year-old has placed in three stakes races, including a third-placing in last year’s edition of the Taranaki Breeders’ and trainer Allan Sharrock said it would be great to sign off her career with a Group Three win.
“She has already got black type, but it would be great to win one (stakes race),” he said.
Art Deco finished unplaced last start in the Gr.3 Metric Mile (1600m) at Awapuni last month, her only unplaced run this preparation from seven starts.
“Her run in the Metric Mile was a little bit disappointing, hence she went to stud,” Sharrock said.
“But a puggy track at Awapuni can sometimes trip them up, so I wouldn’t read too much into it.”
Sharrock is pleased to get Art Deco back to weight-for-age conditions on Saturday, but is wary of her opposition in the 15-horse field.
“Most races she has been giving them all weight and now it’s weight-for-age,” he said.
“Nicoletta and Queen of Diamonds are going to be very hard to beat, but she ran third in it last year, so she deserves her place.”
On Wednesday morning the track was rated a Dead5 and Sharrock is hoping the forecast rain will materialise later this week after drawing barrier 12 with his mare.
“If it rains, like it is supposed to, then the draw could end up being a positive,” he said.
Sharrock is hoping for a solid showing from Art Deco on Saturday and said her performance will dictate her racing future.
“If she could run top five I would be very happy,” he said. “If she races well she might have a couple more, but it is entirely up to her.”
Meanwhile, Sharrock will take another five strong contenders south from his New Plymouth base.
Waisake and Beckidboo will line-up in the Rough Habits/Hub Catering 1600 with both runners drawing outside gates in the 16-horse field.
“Waisake, he will need another run under his belt. He has drawn terrible (16), so he will be ridden accordingly. The Wellington Cup (Gr.3, 3200m) is his main aim.
“Beckidboo was basically slaughtered three-wide for two bends last start. That’s a tidy field on Saturday, but she is weighted to be in it. It will be interesting with her.”
Bullbars mare Mars Bars takes some strong form into Saturday and Sharrock expects that to continue in the McCurdy Trucks 1400.
“She is a very good mare,” he said. “She has run four seconds out of her last five starts and ran second to John Bell’s (Helena Baby) horse at Te Rapa.
“That’s a very strong field, but with Ashvin (Goindasamy, jockey) on she comes in with about 52kg, so she is going to be a competitive runner.”
Sharrock is excited about the prospects of undefeated entire Tavimac and Dalghar gelding Tellyawhat in the Mark Frost Electrical 1200 and he believes they are his two leading chances of the day.
“Tavimac has drawn lovely (barrier two) and Hazel (Schofer, jockey) will give him a cushy run in the race. He is a tenacious horse and won with a leg in the air last time, so you couldn’t rule him out. “Tellyawhat has been racing in this grade for a while and he has got a gorgeous draw too (barrier four). I think they are both really good chances in that race.”
