Ekstreme after third group race

BY TONY BIRD

CLASS New Plymouth-trained mare Ekstreme heads to Ellerslie this weekend hunting for a third group race scalp in the space of a month.

Ekstreme has been the weight-for-age "find" of the season, having won the Group One $200,000 Captain Cook Stakes (1600m) at Trentham on December 5 and Group Two Isuzu Stakes (1600m) a week later.

The Ekraar four-year-old has the opportunity to stretch her record to a prestige race hat-trick contesting the Group One $200,000 Zabeel Classic (2000m) at the Auckland Racing Club's meeting on Saturday.

Trainer and part-owner Bryce Revell is not allowing the pressure of preparing a leading group race performer get to him.

Revell yesterday was his usual nonchalant self, playing it low-key when assessing the mare's chances on Saturday.

"I'm quite happy with her," he said "She's done really well since the Te Rapa race. That's all you can really ask for."

The change to racing on a right- handed track like Ellerslie is not expected to cause Ekstreme any problems.

The mare proved herself going the reverse way in Brisbane last season when runner up, beaten half a head by Awesome Planet, in the Doomben Roses (2020m) for three-year-old fillies.

To make sure, Revell ordered Ekstreme work in a right-handed direction this week at the New Plymouth track. That included her final serious pre-race gallop on Tuesday morning which she came through in great shape, according to her trainer.

Ekstreme has drawn barrier 11 in the field of 15 drawn for the Zabeel Classic.

Revell said this would more than likely see Ekstreme settle back of midfield in the early running.

"From out there you'd want to take it quietly early on. As long as there's a good pace on up front, it shouldn't be a problem."

Ekstreme will be reunited with regular rider Opie Bosson on Saturday.

Bosson, who won the 2005 Zabeel Classic aboard Lashed, rode the mare to win the Captain Cook Stakes, but was not available last start when pinch- hitting Jason Waddell took the reins.

"It's a good strong field she's up against and we'll just have to see how she goes," Bosson said yesterday.

"She's got a pretty good turn of foot and she comes up well underneath you when you want her to but you just can't bustle her early on.

"She should be a good chance but nearly everything is a danger. Red Ruler went a good race last time, Sir Slick, MacO'Reilly - they'll all be tough."

The TAB yesterday had Monaco Consul a warm $3.50 favourite for the Zabeel Classic. Red Ruler is next in the odds at $6, with Culminate ($8.50) and Tell A Tale ($9) the only others at single figure odds. Ekstreme was next in the betting order being quoted at $10.

AUCKLAND RC

Jetbet No 2 Doubles: 1-2, 3-4, 5-6, 7-8, 9-10.

Trebles: 2-3-4, 5-6-7, 8-9-10.

Pick 6 – races 5-10 inclusive, with the first division guaranteed to $100000 if struck.

1THE NEW ZEALAND HERALD 140012.55

$15,000.00, mdn, 1400m

1 0X934 Bugs Lapin (6) 57(56) J McDonald (a) 2 29653 St Pedro (2) 57(56) D Walsh 3 77255 Askmeagain b (11) 56(57) O Bosson 4 3 Hottenov (8) 56(56) N Collett (a) 5 0X53 Snagglepuss (14) 56(56) M Hills 6 9X276 City Blues (1) 56(55) B Jones 7 07X6 Tristacat (4) 56(51) L Innes 8 – Sentinel Peak (12) 56(50) M Cameron 9 77332 Alltheangels (7) 55.5(59) M Du Plessis 10 X4449 Claire de Vine (13) 55.5(54) T Thornton 11 5960X Evviva (5) 55.5(52) S Collett (a) 12 50 Volksella b (3) 55.5(51) M Walker 13 6826 Betty Brown (10) 54.5(56) A Calder 14 0X248 The Toothfairy (16) 54.5(56) C Grylls 15 X9370 Alannah Jo (9) 54.5(54) C Lammas 16 8 Awesome Ransom (15) 54.5(50) scratched

SELECTIONS: Askmeagain, Alltheangels, Bugs Lapin

2STELLA ARTOIS 14001.30

$35,000.00, rating 90, 1400m

1 20X03 Geeza t (3) 58(90) J R Collett (a1) 2 100X4 Juice d (7) 58(90) J Waddell 3 X1024 Salvatore d (8) 58(90) D Walsh 4 19248 Back In Black d (13) 56(86) C Lammas 5 288X1 El Marino dm (16) 55(84) M Cameron 6 23113 Latika d (4) 55(84) M Hills 7 8X511 Mr Shanghai d (5) 55(84) M Du Plessis 8 04110 Vincent Mangano tdm (15) 55(84) C Ormsby 9 3012X Six Star tcd (17) 54(80) J McDonald (a) 10 232X7 Walk In The Park tb (6) 54(80) O Bosson 11 04201 Flavio tcd (14) 53.5(79) C Grylls 12 63511 Ego (12) 53.5(78) L Innes 13 1X40X Keffiya t (18) 53(77) M Coleman 14 43X03 Worthing (11) 53(75) A Calder 15 71X59 Rural Rebel tcdb (1) 53(74) M Walker 16 1758X Charlie Brown d (2) 53(72) D Johnson (a) 17 2790X Cugini d (10) 53(74) 18 69X35 Jumeriah Jaide tcdm (9) 53(73) Emergencies: Cugini, Jumeriah Jaide

SELECTIONS: Latika, Salvatore, Juice

3BAYER 2YO2.05

$15,000.00, 2yo hcp, 1100m

1 516 Marcello (5) 57(67) M Walker 2 451 My Cool Jo (3) 56.5(69) A Calder 3 2 Change Of Heart (6) 56(57) J McDonald (a) 4 625 Hoofit (2) 55.5(56) T Thornton 5 3 My Lead (13) 55.5(56) C Grylls 6 4 Condescender (15) 55.5(55) C Brown 7 – Storm Brew (9) 55.5(50) scratched 8 – Sweet Suitor (14) 55.5(50) M Du Plessis 9 6 Denmark (8) 55(51) L Innes 10 38 Diamonds In Time (1) 54.5(55) M Vance (a3) 11 4 Lady Brunnhilde (10) 54.5(55) N Harris 12 – Apache Sky (11) 54.5(50) C Lammas 13 – Feelthelove (16) 54.5(50) M Hills 14 – Jungle Cat (7) 54.5(50) A Peard 15 – Big Hold Up (12) 55.5(50) O Bosson 16 89 The Needle (4) 54(50) Emergencies: Big Hold Up, The Needle

SELECTIONS: Change Of Heart, My Cool Jo, Sweet Suitor

4NEWMARKET HANDICAP (LISTED)2.45

$45,000.00, opn hcp, 1200m

1 26057 Tootsie tcdmb (11) 58(97) C Brown 2 7X968 Jazzella tcd (1) 57.5(96) M Du Plessis 3 73X73 Attackum tcdb (2) 56.5(94) J McDonald (a) 4 6X140 Al Qurhah tcd (5) 56(93) O Bosson 5 71249 Faalcon td (4) 56(93) C Grylls 6 20X03 Geeza tcd (3) 55(90) C Lammas 7 X8110 Miss Raggedy Ann td (12) 53.5 (86) J R Collett (a) 8 24692 Castles Burning tcd (10) 53.5(85) S Collett (a) 9 1X111 Wealth Princess d (8) 53.5(85) D Walsh 10 13X22 Celeris tcdm (6) 52.5(79) 11 6X616 Saheel tcd (9) 52.5(78) M Walker 12 50X73 Siem Reap d (7) 52(67) R Norvall

SELECTIONS: Wealth Princess, Attackum, Tootsie

5VIVA FASHIONS IN THE FIELD 12003.25

$15,000.00, rating 80, 1200m

1 X1139 Denver d (4) 58(80) C Lammas 2 25316 Walkonby d (7) 58(80) J Waddell 3 11X Hollows m (14) 57(78) O Bosson 4 1102 Benabar d (3) 55.5(75) L Innes 5 121 Dasoudi td (1) 55(74) D Johnson (a) 6 X8453 Forever Roses t (8) 55(74) S Collett (a) 7 X5251 Marzia d (5) 55(74) M Coleman 8 1194X Roman Toia d (13) 55(74) A Calder 9 X7275 Abbey Tralae dmb (18) 54.5 (73) J R Collett (a1) 10 0540X Burlesque d (11) 54.5(73) J McDonald (a) 11 57X10 El Bimbo d (2) 54.5(73) M Hills 12 0X284 Kitt Ann Miss tcd (12) 54.5(73) V Colgan 13 0X036 Lady Alberton tcd (9) 54.5(73) 14 30X37 The Lady (17) 54.5(73) M Du Plessis 15 14X15 Post Road d (16) 54(72) 16 X2710 Oxborough Magic tcd (10) 54(72) 17 69X36 Takapuna d (6) 54(72) 18 13X22 Celeris tcdm (15) 57.5(79) Emergencies: Post Road, Oxborough Magic, Takapuna, Celeris

SELECTIONS: Dasoudi, Walkonby, Benabar

6EIGHT CARAT CLASSIC (GROUP II)4.07

$100,000.00, 3yof sw, 1600m

1 31112 Katie Lee tdb (9) 56(90) O Bosson 2 12652 St Germaine (3) 56(80) M Du Plessis 3 2031X Jungle Juice t (7) 56(76) N Harris 4 8131 Street Party t (1) 56(75) J McDonald (a) 5 31265 Comme Tu Veux tm (15) 56(74) V Colgan 6 57147 Gofonze (11) 56(74) M Coleman 7 211 Italian Princess (14) 56(74) J R Collett (a) 8 99311 Adaline d (12) 56(73) L Innes 9 1510 Marsh Harbour (13) 56(72) M Walker 10 321 Blonde Bombshell t (6) 56(69) C Brown 11 X4019 Tossed And Turned t (8) 56(69) A Peard 12 47314 Prairie Star d (4) 56(68) D Walsh 13 23L10 Pearl Dancer d (5) 56(67) A Calder 14 44 Francilienne (10) 56(55) C Ormsby 15 0X90 Smarttart (2) 56(50)

SELECTIONS: Katie Lee, St Germaine, Street Party

72009/10 DUNSTAN STAYERS SERIES 21004.47

$35,000.00, rating 90, 2100m

1 42135 Solid Billing d (4) 58(90) 2 X7142 Mathias tm (18) 57(88) L Innes 3 X3263 Benedict (1) 56.5(87) O Bosson 4 4X618 Tarbach tcd (17) 56.5(87) C Lammas 5 30037 Tin Goose t (16) 55(84) J McDonald (a) 6 20X70 Castlebar d (3) 54.5(83) N Harris 7 94242 Lady Lucille d (7) 54(80) M Vance (a3) 8 0X950 Petushki (13) 54(80) A Calder 9 27X37 Golden Silence m (2) 53.5(79) N Collett (a) 10 89856 Calatrava t (15) 53(75) C Grylls 11 52X03 El Torro t (6) 53(75) J R Collett (a1) 12 29371 Kiwi Hussler (10) 53(74) M Du Plessis 13 31407 The Missing Link tdm (12) 53 (73) S Collett (a) 14 5X665 Better On Top td (19) 53(72) M Walker 15 53046 Black Fox t (14) 53(70) D Johnson (a) 16 24133 Seaflyte t (11) 53(69) M Coleman 17 X7120 Senor Zorro (8) 53(68) 18 8X550 Bahama Chica d (9) 53(66) 19 42004 Slavadaad t (5) 53(66) Emergencies: Seaflyte, Senor Zorro, Bahama Chica,

Slavadaad

SELECTIONS: Solid Billing, El Torro, Kiwi Hussler

8GREAT NORTHERN GUINEAS (GROUP II)5.27

$100,000.00, 3yo sw, 2100m

1 24011 Joey Massino t (3) 56(84) V Colgan 2 X3179 Prince Of Wales (10) 56(78) M Coleman 3 3114 Martial Art tmb (5) 56(73) H Tinsley 4 14833 Haere Mai (12) 56(70) S Collett (a) 5 92744 Spirit Of Unicorn (1) 56(67) M Walker 6 49165 Star Of Kings (11) 56(67) L Innes 7 05353 Time Keeper (4) 56(59) A Calder 8 23 Solzhenitsyn (8) 56(58) M Du Plessis 9 95 Hezapearla (2) 56(55) A Peard 10 44 Sapphire Prince (6) 56(55) O Bosson 11 7 The Pentagon (7) 56(50) C Grylls 12 52182 Zarzuela t (9) 54.5(70) J McDonald (a)

SELECTIONS: Zarzuela, Prince Of Wales, Martial Art

9ZABEEL CLASSIC (GROUP I)6.12

$200,000.00, wfa, 2000m

1 X0004 MacO'Reilly tcd (10) 59(110) H Tinsley 2 60145 Sir Slick tcdm (4) 59(110) A Calder 3 3X100 Mandela tcd (12) 59(109) V Colgan 4 32361 Ginga Dude td (13) 59(108) M Walker 5 00X71 Everbright (6) 59(106) R Dye 6 X0010 Vosne Romanee (2) 59(106) M Cameron 7 63510 Sterling Prince t (3) 59(104) C Lammas 8 85505 Red Ruler t (5) 59(100) M Du Plessis 9 40128 Tell A Tale b (7) 58.5(101) J McDonald (a) 10 15217 Culminate tm (1) 57(105) L Innes 11 3X583 Veloce Bella tdm (9) 57(101) M Coleman 12 X2611 Ekstreme dm (11) 56.5(102) O Bosson 13 59170 Awesome Planet td (15) 56.5(95) N Harris 14 X1211 Monaco Consul tdm (14) 52(102) C Brown 15 X8651 Time Supreme d (8) 59(95) Emergencies: Time Supreme

SELECTIONS: Monaco Consul, Ekstreme, Sterling Prince

10AUCKLAND CO-OP TAXIS MILE6.50

$15,000.00, rating 70 sw+p, 1600m

1 09X83 Rouleau d (22) 58(67) M Vance (a3) 2 6X962 Nabucco db (20) 57(70) M Coleman 3 42812 I'm Jake (14) 56(70) S Collett (a) 4 7012 Kullu (23) 56(70) L Innes 5 12 Veyron (9) 56(70) R Norvall 6 X3021 Asworthy (24) 56(69) C Ormsby 7 51236 Pure Cruising t (1) 56(69) O Bosson 8 79X66 Fourmula db (13) 56(68) J McDonald (a) 9 40X71 Star Performer d (4) 56(68) T Thornton 10 46921 The Cruncher (7) 56(68) A Calder 11 03159 Amazing Spy (5) 56(67) V Colgan 12 945X3 Zillah's Lad t (19) 56(67) A Peard 13 0X010 So Pristine (6) 55.5(68) J R Collett (a1) 14 X4634 Jac Pot t (18) 55.5(67) N Collett (a) 15 62792 Pinot Girl b (2) 54.5(69) M Du Plessis 16 32X24 Street Siren (21) 54.5(69) scratched 17 X4464 Lisa Love t (16) 54.5(68) M Cameron 18 52619 Broadway Miss d (11) 54.5(67) C Lammas 19 0X310 Daads Order (15) 56(67) scratched 20 60X64 Pentina d (3) 54.5(67) 21 417X8 Buzooka (17) 56(65) 22 975X0 Alszaat dm (8) 56(63) 23 700X0 Bold Fionn d (10) 56(62) 24 304X6 Supercharged d (12) 56(66) Emergencies: Daads Order, Pentina, Buzooka, Alszaat, Bold Fionn, Supercharged

SELECTIONS: Pure Cruising, Nabucco, Veyron

GEAR CHANGES: Approved Plates on: My Lead (AUS) (R3). Bar Plates (Front) on: Abbey Tralae (R5). Standard Bit on: Evviva (R1). Lugging Bit on: My Lead (AUS) (R3). Lugging Bit off: Evviva (R1); Benedict (R7). Norton Bit on: Benedict (R7). Blinkers on: Diamonds In Time, Hoofit, Marcello (AUS) (R3). Attackum (R4); Forever Roses (R5); Petushki, Tarbach (R7). The Pentagon (R8); Monaco Consul (R9). Blinkers off: Walk In The Park (R2); Lisa Love (R10). Side Winkers off: Spirit Of Unicorn (R8). Cheek Burrs on: Worthing (R2). Nose Band off: Change Of Heart (R3). Shadow Roll on: Seaflyte (R7). Tongue Tie on: Walk In The Park (R2); Burlesque (R5).

Legend: t – won at track. c – won at this distance (plus or minus 100m) on this track. d – won at this distance (plus or minus 100m) on another course. m – won from a mobile start. s – won from a standing start. w – won in easy/slushy/soft/heavy conditions. b – beaten favourite at last start.

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