Live Drama will be looking to get her summer preparation back on track at Riccarton on Saturday.
The daughter of Ghibellines was late scratched in the Gr.2 Manawatu Challenge Stakes (1400m) at Trentham last month after failing to load and was required to have a barrier trial to the satisfaction of stewards, and passed with flying colours when winning her 1200m heat at Ashburton earlier this month.
Trainer and part-owner Lance Robinson was pleased with Live Drama’s trial and is looking forward to kicking off her summer preparation in the Listed Speight’s Timaru Stakes (1400m) at Riccarton on Saturday.
“We had a barrier issue with her at Trentham and missed the run there, so she had a barrier trial. She lined up in the barrier well and did everything right and trialled super. We are very happy with her,” Robinson said.
Live Drama was in fine form over the spring, placing in three of her five starts, including runner-up in the Gr.3 Canterbury Breeders’ Stakes (1400m), while Robinson rated her fifth placed run in the Listed Stewards’ Stakes (1200m) as the best of her preparation.
“Her two races over the Cup meeting were fantastic,” he said. “She went a huge race in the Stewards, she only ran fifth, but she carried a bit weight, got buffeted the whole race, and still finished off strong. It was her third run in the Stewards, she ran second in the two previous years, but I thought last year was a better run.”
Live Drama heads the Timaru Stakes market alongside the Mark Walker and Sam Bergerson-trained Millefiori at $5, and Robinson is hopeful she will get the better of her rival on Saturday.
“She has a nice draw (7) and she will be very competitive,” he said.
“Miss Layla will be a good lightweight chance and Te Akau are always hard to beat, but our mare is as good as we can have her.”
Live Drama won’t have to wait long for her next assignment, with the seven-year-old mare set to head to Wingatui next week to contest the Gr.3 White Robe Lodge Weight For Age (1600m).
Robinson will line-up four other runners at Riccarton on Saturday and believes Diagon Alley and Aerial Blue are strong chances in the Racecourse Hotel & Motor Lodge Rating 65 (1400m).
“Diagon Alley was very unlucky in her last start. She got held up, was late getting clear, and only got beaten by half a head,” Robinson said. “She has come through that run well and will be very competitive tomorrow.
“Aerial Blue went a really nice race the other day at Riccarton. She ran fourth but didn’t get a lot of luck. They will both be very competitive in that race.”
