Vancouver Filly Looking to Get Back on G1 Track

Media Release - Thursday November 2

Trainers Ken Rae and Krystal Williams are hoping Illicit Dreams can get her Gr.1 Barneswood Farm NZ 1000 Guineas (1600m) preparation back on track at Ashburton on Sunday in the Juice Signs (1400m).

Illicit Dreams will contest the Juice Signs (1400m) at Ashburton on Sunday. Photo: Race Images South

The daughter of Vancouver was eased down in the concluding stages of the Gr.3 Barneswood Farm Stakes (1400m), finishing last in the 10-horse field last start, with a post-race veterinary examination putting the performance down to dehydration.

“We got her bloods done and she was quite dehydrated that day,” Williams said.

“With all the severe winds that we had down here, we ended up with no power or water for three days, so we couldn’t bring them into the boxes.

“She didn’t drink as much from the trough, she is quite fussy. Hopefully she has come right and will improve on what we saw last time.”

Illicit Dreams has pulled through the run well and Williams has been pleased with her work in the lead-up to her weekend assignment.

“She galloped well today (Thursday),” she said. “Jason Laking has been riding all of her gallops for me and he is happy with her. He knows her very well, he has been riding her right through.”

Illicit Dreams has drawn barrier 11 and Williams is hoping the wide gate will help jockey Tegan Newman find cover to help settle the three-year-old filly.

“She is just going too hard at the start and we would like to see her settle a bit more and show us we are heading in the right direction for the Guineas,” Williams said.

“This race will tell us whether she carries onto that.”

Advertisement

Williams will also line-up evergreen galloper The Buffer in the Agraforum Growing Innovation (1600m).

He has once again been lumbered with 62kg, but will get some weight relief courtesy of apprentice jockey Danika Wilson’s four-kilogram claim.

“Last start at Riccarton was a bit tougher for him,” Williams said of the gelding’s unplaced run in the Coupland’s Bakeries Mile Trial (1400m).

“It is a bit tricky now with the weight he carries and the fields he comes up against. This field is a bit weaker and hopefully the mile will be better for him.

“We would like to get him back to the country meetings. I am not sure whether he will start over 2000m for Cup Week yet. We will just play it by ear as he has had a lot of racing already.”

Williams’ team will be rounded out by Proisir filly Zlatna in the Gary McCormick Transport (1600m).

“She is a progressive type. She needs more ground and is still quite immature and green,” Williams said.

“Jasmine (Fawcett, jockey) seems to like her and thinks she has got ability. We are just trying to get a win with her and get her up over more ground.” – LOVERACING.NZ News Desk

Advertisment
More Reading...
G1 Goal for Vancouver Filly Illicit Dreams
Stakes winner Illicit Dreams will kick-off her preparation toward the Gr.1 Barneswood Farm New Zealand 1000 Guineas (1600m) in November when she heads to Riccarton on Saturday to contest the NZ Cup Meeting Tickets On Sale Now Three-Year-Old (1000m).
Marble Nine Brings Up Second SW For Aquis Sire Kobayashi
The withdrawal of the top weight in Saturday’s $175,000 Listed VRC Santa Ana Lane Sprint Series Final (1200m) at Flemington saw the field down to just six, with Marble Nine continuing his outstanding recent form to secure his first black type victory.
Sweet Redemption for Stable Favourite Jimmy the Bear
Patrick and Michelle Payne enjoyed a red letter day at Flemington on Saturday with their rising star Buccleuch winning the Listed VRC Taj Rossi Series Final and then later in the day stable favourite Jimmy the Bear won the Listed VRC Winter Championship Series Final (1600m).
Buccleuch - First Stakes-Winner for Peltzer
The $175,000 Listed VRC Taj Rossi Series Final (1600m) at Flemington on Saturday was won back in 2020 by Cherry Tortoni, who went to on to become a multiple Group winner of nearly $1million and the same colours were carried by this year’s winner Buccleuch.
Invincible 3YO Wins G3 Winx Guineas
The $300,000 Group III Winx Guineas (1600m) at the Sunshine Coast on Saturday featured a big field of 16 up and comers and following the late scratching of favourite Mister Bianco, Angela Jones took luck out of the equation on I Am Invincible gelding The Three Hundred.
Pride’s Outsider Estadio Mestalla Wins Winter Stakes
The lone stakes race on Rosehill’s ten-race card on Saturday saw Joe Pride’s race outsider Estadio Mestalla (Galileo Gold) take out the $200,000 Listed ATC Winter Stakes (1400m) in a boilover.
More Stakes Success for Vancouver Mare
Riccarton is a home away from home for speedy Ruakaka mare Illicit Dreams, who added a blistering front-running win in Saturday’s Listed Donaldson Brown Pegasus Stakes (1000m) to her proud record at the Christchurch track.
Snitzel Filly Bridal Waltz Wins A.R. Creswick Stakes
While many felt the winner of Saturday’s Listed $175,000 VRC A.R. Creswick Stakes (1200m) had raced two weeks prior in the Shop Flemington Handicap (1100m) – and they would’ve been correct – but it was not the result many punters felt it would be!
Tenth SW for Vancouver - Illicit Dreams wins Champagne Stakes
Speedy North Island visitor Illicit Dreams proved too fleet of foot for her two-year-old rivals when she took out the Listed Berkley Stud Champagne Stakes (1200m) at Riccarton.
Flemington Victory for Tarzino Mare
Quirky but talented mare Miss Tarzy has come from last win the Leilani Series Final (1400m) under a patient Jett Stanley ride.