Shane Kennedy and Anna Furlong will again target a black-type feature on their home track on Saturday with a pair of contrasting juvenile contenders.
The Riccarton trainers will be represented in the Listed Berkley Stud Champagne Stakes (1200m) by Rose Of Dublin and Lil Zena, who boast similar form lines but are chalk and cheese in appearance.
“They are totally different types and Rose Of Dublin is quite leggy and probably not your typical two-year-old type,” Furlong said.
“Lil Zena is a little stockier and carries a little more natural muscle.”
The pair have gone head-to-head in their last two appearances with Lil Zena having the upper hand, finishing third in both Riccarton starts including most recently in the Listed Welcome Stakes (1000m) with Rose Of Dublin fourth on both occasions.
“They have both been really good and need a bit more ground, which they’ll finally get this weekend and we’ve been very happy with them,” Furlong said.
“Obviously they will be better three-year-olds, but they are doing everything asked of them now, which has been a bonus.
“It will be nice to see both of them get out of the barrier a little cleaner, although Lil Zena had a fair excuse last start with a horse next to her playing up a couple of times.
“We would love to see them put themselves in the race a bit more. They are pretty even and hard to split.”
Lil Zena is a daughter of U S Navy Flag and a prior association with her family led the filly to the stable of Kennedy and Furlong.
“We trained Lil Zena’s mother Zentessa and she was bred by Gareth Downey on behalf of Valachi Downs so that’s how we came about her,” Furlong said.
A sister by Zed to the Group One-performed Chase, Zentessa won four races up to 1800m and placed in two editions of the Listed Spring Classic (2000m).
“Rose Of Dublin was passed in at Karaka through Little Avondale Stud’s draft and (breeder) Christopher Grace kept a share in her and we took her home,” Furlong said.
“Sam (Williams) said come and have a look at this one and we liked her, Christopher was happy to stay in and keep a quarter share which was brilliant and it’s great to have him involved.”
By Per Incanto, Rose Of Dublin is from a well-performed Grace family that features the two-time Group One-winning Savabeel mare Shillelagh.
“Both fillies will go to the paddock after this so they can have a good break ahead of their three-year-old seasons,” Furlong said.
Meanwhile, the stable is hoping the genuine Kikimora can add to her two-win record when she steps out on Thursday in the Entain-NZB Insurance Pearl Series Race (1400m) on the synthetic track.
“She is very consistent and had drawn wide at Timaru (last week) so there was no point going there,” Furlong said.
“She doesn’t mind the poly and has drawn well this time so hopefully she does the business.”
The daughter of Shamexpress, who placed in last season’s Listed Canterbury Belle Stakes (1200m), was a sound last-start third at Ashburton.
