Fresh off the high of winning a A$500,000 race in Brisbane with their star mare La Crique (NZ) (Vadamos), Simon and Katrina Alexander are hoping to keep their winning run going when they head to Trentham on Saturday.
They will trek down State Highway One with their promising three-year-old filly Cornelia (NZ) (Swiss Ace), who will be first-up in the TAB Odds Surge Every Race At Trentham 3YO 1000.
The daughter of Swiss Ace has had just two starts to date, winning on debut over 1100m at Taupo last December before finishing third over 1200m at Pukekohe a month later.
She has enjoyed some time in the paddock and pleased with her resuming trial last month where she was runner-up at Te Awamutu in her 850m heat.
The Waikato couple are confident heading into Saturday, with the track rated a Heavy10 on Wednesday, and she will have the benefit of apprentice jockey Lily Sutherland’s one kilogram claim.
“She should go well,” Katrina Alexander said. “I think conditions will be favourable to her down there. She has had enough race day experience, and she did some very tough racing last time in.
“Her trial here was nice enough without asking her a hell of a lot. She has trained on super and is quite a forward horse.
“I know it is a little bit different going in a straight line down there for some of them and going down the chute for the first time can catch them out.
“We haven’t had an opportunity to race her against three-year-olds so it will be nice to be able to do that, albeit at this end of the season before we are forced into that more open company. There wasn’t much around for her other than that race down there, so hopefully that goes to plan for her.
“She is a powerful horse that loves the wet conditions. The sprint distance is definitely suitable for her. I am looking forward to kicking her off there.”
It will be Cornelia’s furthest trip away from home, but Alexander believes her quirky filly will handle the trip and is hoping it will bring her on in maturity ahead of her four-year-old season.
“She is a really quirky filly in and around the stable, she is hard work,” Alexander said. “She travels really relaxed to the races and she is a nicer animal to work with when she is out and about than in her normal routine where she likes to call the shots.
“I am not too worried about travelling her, I think it will do her good. I think she is a handy horse that can progress and get to open class. If we tick the travel box early on, we will be able to plan more forward for her.
“She is generally a very good horse in the feed bin, she carries condition well, and I don’t think the trip should upset her too much.”
Cornelia is rated a $4.40 equal second favourite for the race with TAB bookmakers alongside Arcachon (NZ) (Pierro), with Te Akau Racing’s Pokuru Gold (NZ) (Darci Brahma) and even money favourite.
