Auckland Cup Plan for Cambridge Stud Mare

Media Release - Friday January 31

In-form mare About Time is giving every indication she can master the ultimate distance of her autumn target.

The daughter of American Pharoah has been set for the Gr.2 Barfoot & Thompson Auckland Cup (3200m) on March 8 and will bid to complete a hat-trick of wins along the way when she steps out at Ellerslie on Saturday.

About Time will contest the Victoria Racing Club 2200 at Ellerslie on Saturday.   Photo: Kenton Wright (Race Images)

Trained by Lance Noble for breeders Cambridge Stud, the four-year-old will run in the Victoria Racing Club Handicap (2200m) with regular partner Warren Kennedy in the saddle.

eight (58kg) to win the Dunstan Stayers was encouraging.

“She hit the line strongly and there was a bit of a gap back to third. The next logical step is the Avondale Cup (Gr.3, 2400m) and then into the Auckland Cup.”

Stablemates Little Stirrer and Terra Mitica will also be in action at Ellerslie on Saturday in the Barfoot & Thompson (1200m) and Listed Fulton Family Stakes (1500m) respectively with Kennedy to ride the pair.

Written Tycoon filly Little Stirrer will be making a fresh start after an unplaced effort in late August in her first appearance for Noble.

“She came back from Victoria after winning a two-year-old race for the Hayes boys, but just didn’t look right in the spring,” he said.

Advertisement

“Some three-year-old fillies just don’t do well and her coat didn’t look great, we gave her a run and it was a bit average.

“We put her out and she’s come back a lot stronger, she’s not overly big so is well-named and I was really happy with her trial last week.”

Meanwhile, the Fulton Family Stakes fits in well with Terra Mitica’s main aim, the Listed Matamata Veterinary Services Kaimai Stakes (2000m) at Matamata on February 15.

“We have tried her beyond 2000m and I don’t think she’s a genuine 2200 or 2400m horse,” Noble said.

“We’ve chosen to target the Kaimai on Matamata Breeders’ Stakes Day and this is an ideal lead-up race for her timing-wise.

“It’s a bit short of her best and has come up quite a strong race, so if she managed to sneak a place it would be a little bit more black type for her.”

Terra Mitica has won four races and finished third in the spring in the Gr.3 Bonecrusher Stakes (2000m) in blinkers and will have the headgear back on for Saturday. – LOVERACING.NZ News Desk

Advertisment
More Reading...
MRC Committee Returned Unopposed
The Melbourne Racing Club (MRC) has confirmed the results of the 2025 nominations for the MRC Executive Committee and the Mornington Advisory Group (MAG), which will be formally ratified at the Club’s Annual General Meeting on 25 September.
Waller Army Leads Cox Plate First Acceptances
Defending champion Via Sistina is among 21 horses champion trainer Chris Waller still has in contention for the $6 million 2025 Ladbrokes Cox Plate, following the closure of first acceptances on Tuesday.
New G1 Winner for Wootton Bassett
Back in Australia for another season at Coolmore, Wootton Bassett (GB) was expected to get a 3YO Group I winner in France on Sunday, but the horse that got the job done was not the one punters expected.
G1 Manikato Next for Alabama Lass
New Zealand sprinter Alabama Lass will press on for a tilt at the Gr.1 Manikato Stakes (1200m) at The Valley later this month following her runner-up effort in the Gr.1 Moir Stakes (1000m) at the Melbourne track last Saturday.
Mulberry Racing Purchase $550,000 Colt at Keeneland September
Australian based Mulberry Racing featured on the buyers list during the first session of the Keenland September Yearling Sale purchasing a colt by Quality Road for $550,000.
Sires With Winners - Monday September 8
Here is the full list of 18 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Kiwi Cup Hopeful Headed to Melbourne
Gr.1 Melbourne Cup (3200m) hopeful Wolfgang will fly to Melbourne on Wednesday to commence his path towards the A$10 million feature.
Vale, Fastnet Rock
Fastnet Rock was a crowd pleaser when paraded as a living legend at the Coolmore stallion parade last month, but sadly this spring was to be his last. 
Tara Talks Racing – This Week We Talk to Bennett Racing
In the wash up of last Saturday’s great day of spring racing there was no winner that meant more to his connections than Group I MVRC Moir Stakes victory Baraqiel, so our obvious guest this week had to be Nathan Bennett.
Tragic News from Milburn Creek – Vale, Secret Admirer
Spring brings so many foaling stories from our studs each year and while the majority have a happy ending, sometimes things sadly don’t go as planned.