Calder's Ekstreme ride

Andrew Calder will ride the New Plymouth mare Ekstreme in the $110,000 Auckland Breeders' Stakes (1400m) at Pukekohe on Saturday.

Calder replaces regular rider Opie Bosson, who is suspended.

Ekstreme will be having her second start in a new campaign, after producing a bold run for second in a rating 90 1200 at Trentham at Labour weekend.

"It will be a month between races but she's super well," trainer Bryce Revell said. "She galloped well this morning [Tuesday], working a pretty solid 1200m, and she's done a lot of work at the beach."

Saturday's Group II fillies and mares feature has always been on Ekstreme's programme and a good run might earn her a crack at the Group I Captain Cook Stakes (1600m) at Trentham, on December 5.

"That would be another step up and she would have to go pretty well on Saturday [to run in the Captain Cook]," Revell said. "She's got a lot of ability but they don't just hand the races to you at that level.

"But Trentham suits her and she goes well there."

Ekstreme won the Group III Lowland Stakes (2000m) at Trentham in February, beating Daffodil and Awesome Planet, and was never clear when eighth in the New Zealand Oaks.

Given better luck in the running, Ekstreme would have been in the finish of the Oaks and she then raced well at the Brisbane carnival.

The Ekraar filly was the runner-up to Awesome Planet in the Group III Doomben Roses, beaten by a half head, before finishing sixth in the Queensland Oaks.

The Group II Isuzu Stakes (1600m) at Te Rapa on December 12 is another possible target for Ekstreme, who has also been nominated for the Wellington Cup (2400m).

Twenty horses were nominated for the Breeders' Stakes yesterday, including defending titleholder Ruud Van Slaats.

Culminate, who finished third last year, is the highest rated entry and likely to be joined by stablemates Ististar and Striker.

Ginga Dude, Boundless and Sand Hawk head the entries for the $125,000 Counties Cup (2100m) and Richard Beymer will carry the topweight of 58kg when he attempts to repeat last year's win in the $60,000 Counties Bowl (1100m).

Ekstreme will be Revell's only runner at Pukekohe but he will starts Ekstra Dane and Posted Bail at Rotorua tomorrow.

Ekstra Dane was beaten in maiden company at Riccarton at her last start but Revell likes the filly and expects her to be suited by the step up to 1950m at Rotorua.

"It would be nice to get her out of maidens this week. She can have a break after this race and then hopefully come back for the [New Zealand] Oaks.

"She's more dour than Ekstreme and I think she will make a really good staying filly."

- © Fairfax NZ News