By Joshua Smith, LOVERACING.NZ News Desk
Sorghaghtani will get a well-deserved tilt at black-type at Tauranga on Saturday but only if her trainers can find a suitable jockey.
The daughter of Mongolian Khan is in a purple patch of form, placing first-up behind subsequent Group Three performer She’s A Dealer at Te Rapa in December before posting successive wins over a mile at Ellerslie in January, and trainers Graham Richardson and Rogan Norvall believe she is ready for a crack at stakes level.
They identified the Gr.2 Ultimate Mazda Japan Trophy (1600m) at Tauranga this weekend as her target, and while excited to give her a chance at attaining black-type, Sorghaghtani hasn’t been given any favours, drawing barrier 13.
Adding to their woes, with two meetings in the North Island and jockeys light on numbers, Richardson and Norvall have also struggled to find a rider for their in form mare.
“She deserves a crack at black-type,” Richardson said. “She has been working well, but there is a bit of a concern with the draw and there’s been a bit of a struggle with the riders.”
Richardson has also been on the search for a jockey for stablemate Lodi Dodi in the Craigs Investments Partners 1400 but said she will be saved for her home meeting on Sunday week if they can’t secure a rider.
“We had George Rooke onboard and then he got suspended, so we are left without a rider. If we don’t run there we will run at Matamata,” Richardson said.
Earlier on the card, Stay Frosty and Absolutelyfabulous will attempt to score an elusive victory in the Bayleys Bay Of Plenty Maiden 1400.
Preferment gelding Stay Frosty has finished runner-up in all three of his career starts to date, while Sweynesse mare Absolutelyfabulous has posted the same result in her last two outings.
“I don’t like clashing horses but sometimes you have to do it,” Richardson said. “Stay Frosty has had some bad draws, but his run last time was outstanding, and Absolutelyfabulous is going very well.”
Stakes performer Romilly will round out Richardson’s representation in the Angela & Nick Fleet Bayleys Papamoa 1400.
“Romilly is going really well, I am really happy with her,” Richardson said. “Her run at Matamata in that stakes race (Listed Lisa Chittick Champagne Stakes, 1400m) was very good on a bottomless track. She tried really hard that day.”
Meanwhile, Richardson was pleased with Lollapalooza’s fifth placed run in the $4 million NZB Kiwi (1500m) and said she has gone for a spell following a successful three-year-old season that netted a win in the Gr.3 Gold Trail Stakes (1200m) and placings in the Gr.1 New Zealand 1000 Guineas (1600m), Gr.2 Eight Carat Classic (1600m) and Gr.3 Sunline Vase (1400m).
“It was a very good run (in the NZB Kiwi), she ran fifth and got held up,” Richardson said. “She has been very genuine and she is giving all the owners a big thrill, they are having a ball.
“She pulled up pretty well and is out in the spelling paddock until probably June.”
