One of three last-start winners in Saturday's A$1.5-million G1 The BMW at Rosehill Gardens, last season's G1 Australian Derby winner Tavago (NZ) (Tavistock {NZ}) comes into the 2400m contest having taken out the G3 Sky High S. at the track over 2000m last time out.
With his only start at the trip resulting in an impressive 3 1/4- length victory over Jameka (Aus) (Myboycharlie {Ire}) in the Derby just under 12 months prior, the Trent Busuttin and Natalie Young-trained Tavago (NZ) has some good wet form and should be capable of playing a leading role in the finish.
While a failure at his only prior start over 2400m in the New Zealand Derby at three when trained in his native homeland, last-start G1 Australian Cup (2000m) winner Humidor (NZ) (Teofilo {NZ}) has improved considerably since joining the Darren Weir yard, and with jockey Damian Lane–who understands the 4-year-old, having ridden him at his last four starts–aboard, the talented middle-distance performer looks up to recording back-to-back Group 1 victories.
Super impressive last Saturday in the G1 Ranvet S. over 2000m when winning by more than three lengths, the Lee and Anthony Freedman-trained Our Ivanhowe (Ger) (Soldier Hollow {GB}) was having his first start since the G1 Melbourne Cup in November. Now a dual Group 1 winner at 2000m plus, Our Ivanhowe certainly has shown a liking for the heavy track conditions as well as the Rosehill track, and if there are no issues with the week back-up, the stallion prospect should prove very competitive with Golden Slipper-winning jockey Ben Melham aboard.
A winner over 2400m of the G1 Caulfield Cup during the spring, Ciaron Maher's talented mare Jameka has produced some outstanding closing sectionals at her three runs back from a spell including her last-start narrow defeat to Humidor in the Australian Cup. Impressive on the heavy ground in the G1 Victorian Oaks as a 3-year-old, the mare will be ridden by Hugh Bowman, who will be having his second start on the 4-year-old after piloting her last start to a narrow Group 1 defeat.
Not a subscriber? Click here to sign up for the daily PDF or alerts.
