Trelawney Stud Mares Chase More Black Type

Media Release - Tuesday November 16

Roger James is hoping for a big day for his mares Two Illicit and Cheaperthandivorce as they seek more black-type success at Te Rapa on Saturday.

The mares, both raced by Brent and Cherry Taylor of Trelawney Stud, both gained Group Three victories at their last starts and may both start favourite in their respective races.

Two Illicit will contest the Gr.2 Dunstan Feeds Auckland Thoroughbred Breeders’ Stakes (1400m) at Te Rapa pn Saturday. Photo: Peter Rubery (Race Images Palmerston North)

Two Illicit is after her third success at Group Two level in the Dunstan Feeds Auckland Thoroughbred Breeders’ Stakes (1400m). One of those came at Te Rapa in the 2020 Waikato Guineas (2000m), where she scored a 7-1/2 length victory over one of her potential rivals this Saturday, Travelling Light.

James, who trains Two Illicit at Cambridge in partnership with Robert Wellwood, said Two Illicit had trained well since an impressive fresh-up victory in the Gr.3 Spring Sprint (1400m) at Hastings on October 16.

“We’ve tried to keep her fresh – 1400m is on the short side for her – but I’m pretty certain we’ve got her where we want her,” James said.

If all goes well, James said Two Illicit would seek a first top-level victory in the Gr.1 Rydges Wellington Captain Cook Stakes (1600m) at Trentham on December 4 and then head to the Gr.1 Cambridge Stud Zabeel Classic (2000m) at Ellerslie on Boxing Day.

Cheaperthandivorce was not far off the best three-year-old fillies last season, with her notable efforts including a fourth-place finish in the Gr.1 New Zealand Oaks (2400m), but she has taken her talents to a new level this season.

After a fresh victory over 1600m in Rating 74 company at Hastings on October 2, she was hugely impressive in the Gr.3 Thompson Handicap (1600m), easily beating Justaskme – albeit while getting a 7kg pull in the weights from the subsequent Gr.2 Tauranga Stakes (1600m) winner.

The Thompson Handicap effort suggested she was looking for a longer trip and she gets that in Saturday’s Gr.3 Franklin Auctions Counties Cup (2100m).

“She doesn’t take a lot of work but her work has been very good and she’s absolutely looking for more ground,” James said.

“She’s nicely weighted in the handicaps so we are going to look at the cups races with her.”

Safely through this race, Cheaperthandivorce is likely to take in races such as the Gr.3 SkyCity Hamilton Waikato Cup (2400m) back at Te Rapa on December 11 and the Gr.3 SkyCity City of Auckland Cup (2400m) at Ellerslie on New Year’s Day.

Advertisement

James said her efforts in those races would determine whether she is tried over 3200m this season.

Two Illicit is unlikely to be the only runner for James in the Zabeel Classic as he is also aiming last year’s winner Concert Hall at a repeat victory.

Concert Hall has started twice this season, finishing second in the Gr.3 Balmerino Stakes (2000m) at her last start on November 2. She is likely to contest the Gr.2 Cal Isuzu Stakes (1600m) as her lead-up to the Zabeel Classic.

James is likely to have one other runner on Saturday. He has nominated Deep Beauty in both the Rating 74 1400m race and the Rating 65 1600m contest, though she may be more likely to contest the latter as he is 19th in order of entry for the Rating 74 event.

“He’s run second in his two runs this preparation, narrowly beaten in his last start at Hastings, so he’s a form runner as well.”

James is certainly hoping for a better day than he had this weekend 10 years ago. It is the anniversary of the 2011 Gr.1 Railway Stakes (1600m) at Ascot in West Australia, where his good colt He’s Remarkable was relegated from his on-the-track victory in the inquiry room.

He’s Remarkable won the 1600m Perth feature but was relegated to second, behind local galloper Luckygray, in a ruling which remains to this day one of the more controversial decisions.

Perth stewards deemed the ground that Luckygray lost in an incident 600m from home was greater than the long neck margin at the end of the race and promoted the local to first.

James and the horse’s connections attempted to overturn the decision at the West Australian Racing Penalties Appeal Tribunal but they were denied leave to appeal the decision.

“It was in my mind an injustice at the time, but you can’t change it by worrying about it and you’ve just got to go forward,” he said.

When asked if he thought the stewarding in Perth had improved in the ensuing decade, James replied: “I haven’t been back to West Australia to find out, and I’m probably not going to rush back either.” – NZ Racing Desk

Advertisment
More Reading...
New SW Wrote - Fast Network Wins G3 National Day Cup
Trainer Dennis Yip claimed a timely first win of the 2025/26 season, taking out the feature HK$4.2 million Gr.3 National Day Cup Handicap (1000m) at Sha Tin’s National Day fixture on Wednesday when his stable star Fast Network, a New Zealand bred son of Wrote, blitzed a strong field under Alexis Badel.
Magic Trials at Caulfield Heath
Early season two-year-olds will step out this Thursday, 2 October, at the Caulfield Spring Trials presented by Magic Millions, with 800m 2YO heats following the opening trial for Group performers at 7:30am on the Caulfield Heath.
Milan Park Experience Highs and Lows
Tony Rider experienced the extreme highs and lows of breeding thoroughbreds within a matter of hours on Wednesday.
Blueblood Fillies From $3million Mares
Tom Magnier has been notable for his purchase of elite race fillies and broodmares in recent years to enhance the stellar Coolmore broodmare band and two of his $3million plus mare purchases have produced stunning fillies this spring.
NZ Derby Hero Willydoit Primed for Epsom
Last season’s New Zealand Derby hero Willydoit will step back into the spotlight on Saturday when he contests the Gr.1 Epsom Handicap (1600m) at Randwick for trainer Ciaron Maher, with jockey Tommy Berry bullish the horse is ready to make his mark over the famous mile.
Swettenham Stud Delighted with Lofty Strike Foals
Swettenham Stud are delighted with the growing buzz of excitement surrounding the first foals for young gun sire Lofty Strike.
Autumn Glow Epsom Challenge - Just How Big Is This Task?
With the unbeaten Autumn Glow set to run as the first odds-on favourite this century in the Epsom Handicap on Saturday we thought we’d run some data to see how big this mountain is that she’s attempting to climb, and turns out, it’s pretty big.
Hellbent Winner Impresses at Sha Tin
Astute trainer Mark Newnham paid $425,000 at the 2023 NZB Ready to Run Sale to secure a promising two year-old by Hellbent and Invincible Ibis delivered on that promise when scoring a last to first win at Sha Tin on Wednesday.
Juvenile Trial Watch – Caulfield
Three barrier trials at Caulfield on Thursday morning produced heat winners for first season sires Wild Ruler and Profiteer with the quickest winner being Free Flying, the half-sister by Snitzel to brilliant Group winning mare Learning to Fly.
Sires With Winners - Wednesday October 1
Here is the full list of 49 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.