Silver Eclipse kicks off Telegraph campaign

Talented sprinter Silver Eclipse begins a long-range quest for Gr.1 The JR & N Berkett Telegraph spoils when she resumes at Rotorua on Saturday.

The Steven Ramsay and Julia Ritchie-trained Darci Brahma five-year-old mare tackles the Gr.3 Lochinver Station Plate (1200m) at Rotorua for rider Sam Collett.

It is certainly a drop in class for Silver Eclipse, who contested three Group One races to end her four-year-old campaign, finishing fifth in the Railway Stakes at Trentham, seventh in The Telegraph and eighth in the NRM Sprint at Te Rapa.

She has won both her previous fresh-up starts from a 90-day break and Garry Cossey, racing manager for Silver Eclipse's breeder-owner Sir Peter Vela, is expecting a bold run.

"She's very well at the moment," Cossey said.

"She's coming up really well and she goes well fresh, but she's got an awkward draw [barrier 12] so that makes it tricky and we're under no illusions.

"But this is the kick-off point and then Peter will make a decision where she goes next, whether she goes back down to Riccarton where she won the Pegasus Stakes last year or chase black-type races up here."

A winner of five of her 12 starts, Silver Eclipse is one of the main flagbearers for Sir Peter's racing team and hails from the family of Finezza Belle that Pencarrow Stud has bred from for several generations.

"Peter's main goal is the Telegraph and she seems to go really well down the Trentham dog leg. She was a bit unlucky in the race last season and that's the ultimate goal," Cossey said.

Stablemates Duquesa and Rasa Lila will also be in action in Sir Peter's colours this weekend, with Gr.3 Christchurch Casino New Zealand Cup entry Duqeusa contesting a 2100m Rating 85 race at Tauranga on Friday and Rasa Lila tackling a 1600m race in the same grade at Otaki on Saturday.

"Duquesa's two runs back have been well short of her best - she's been disappointing, but she's hard-fit now and ready to go for Saturday," Cossey said.

"She's got the blinkers on for the first time and we're expecting a big run. Over 2100m, it looks a race she's well capable of winning and she should be putting her best foot forward.

"Rasa Lila has had two trials for her first-up run, but she's got a wide gate and she was good enough to run third in the Dunstan Final for James [McDonald] last season."

Meanwhile, Cossey said Irion, who was scratched from last Saturday's Gr.3 Taranaki Breeders' Stakes at Hawera, would now resume at Ellerslie on Saturday week.