Oaks contender a top Tauranga chance

Classic hope Suffire will take another step toward a Group One goal when she lines up at Tauranga on Thursday.

The three-year-old will return to the scene of her maiden victory when she tackles the Pacific Property 1600 and will provide jockey Craig Grylls with a golden chance of success on his first day back from a lengthy suspension.

Grylls was ousted on New Year’s Day after his winning ride on Saavoya in the Gr.2 Royal Stakes at Ellerslie where he was deemed to be guilty of careless riding and causing the falls of De Kensington and Ezra.

He was aboard Suffire two runs back when the Lance O’Sullivan and Andrew Scott-trained filly finished runner-up behind the Gr.1 New Zealand Derby contender McQueen at Te Rapa before she broke her duck at Tauranga last month.

Safely through Thursday’s assignment, the daughter of Sufficient is likely to head south to Hastings for the Gr.3 Little Avondale Lowland Stakes on February 28 and then on to Trentham for the Gr.1 Wellfield New Zealand Oaks at Trentham on March 14.

O’Sullivan and Scott also look to have another genuine winning chance at Tauranga with Northern Star in race five on the card, the Rating 65 sprint.

He was a winner at Avondale three runs back and following a below par effort on his home track he bounced back with a solid performance to finish third at Thames.

His prospects will be further aided by the inside gate and Brendan Hutton’s two kilo claim.