The Robbie Patterson-trained Dezella (NZ) (Zed) took her winning tally to five wins from just 10 starts when victorious over 2300m at Otaki last Friday.
The daughter of Zed will now be set on a Cups path, starting with the Gr.3 SkyCity Hamilton Waikato Cup (2400m) at Te Rapa on Saturday-week.
“She is a very progressive horse and it’s only been the last seven or eight weeks that she has really clicked and got onto it,” Patterson said.
“The plan was to give her a week off, but I couldn’t the way she was carrying on in the paddock, so we thought why not have a go at the Waikato Cup?
“She is in a purple-patch, she will get in at 53 kilos, and 2400m is an ideal race. If she came through the race well we would look at the Wellington Cup (Gr.3, 3200m).”
While they remain ideal targets for the five-year-old mare, Patterson said he will take a race-by-race approach with her.
“She still is only a young stayer. She hasn’t had a lot of racing and I don’t want to over tax her this time around,” he said.
“She will be around for another two or three seasons yet.”
