Matamata trainer Cody Cole is looking forward to testing his talented filly Oneira over more ground.
He has been delighted with her progress over the shorter trips and particularly her last-start effort to finish third in the Gr.3 Gold Trail Stakes (1200m) under jockey Ryan Elliot at Hastings.
“It is typically a good form race and is one of the top three-year-old races for fillies in the spring,” he said.
“She did really well and with a little bit more easing of the ground she could have finished a bit closer.
“It looks like she wants to go a bit further now and Ryan said once she gets out over 1400m she’ll be better for it, she’s bred to get over a bit more ground.”
A lightly raced daughter of Contributer and the Thorn Park mare Sometyne, Oneira has been on the easy list since her Hawke’s Bay carnival outing.
“She had a week in the paddock and we plan to trial her on October 10 at Matamata and then into the Soliloquy Stakes (Gr.3, 1400m),” Cole said.
Oneira will remain in the North Island during her three-year-old campaign and wasn’t nominated for the Gr.1 Barneswood Farm New Zealand 1000 Guineas (1600m).
“I don’t think she’s a Riccarton type of filly and we’ve got plenty of other options like the Group One mile (Levin Classic) after Christmas at Wellington,” Cole said.
“We would probably get right to the bottom of her if we went all the way down to Christchurch.
“She never really managed to get a full break in after her autumn two-year-old campaign so we’re mindful of that.”
Oneira was a debut winner at Matamata last season before she ran fourth in the Listed Futurity Stakes (1400m) at Pukekohe and then finished runner-up when resuming at Taupo before the Gold Trail.
