Moira Murdoch and her daughter Kieran are counting themselves fortunate to have a couple of promising youngsters by the red hot stallion Iffraaj in their team.
Iffindoubt is a son of the Haunui Farm resident while Ipanema Girl is a daughter of the shuttle sire and both have produced encouraging performance at the trials ahead of their first race day starts.
Both will debut at Pukekohe Park on Sunday with Ipanema Girl to be ridden by Craig Grylls in the Fasttrack Insurance 2YO while Leith Innes will be aboard Iffindoubt in the Haunui Farm 2YO.
“They are a couple of lovely horses, really nice types and they have both trialled nicely,” Murdoch said.Out of the former juvenile winner Belle De Jeu, Iffindoubt won his first trial in December and has subsequently placed in his next two while Ipanema Girl, who is a half-sister to the Group performers Adamamtium and Touch Me Not, owns an Identical record.
Meanwhile, the stable’s Group One winner Marky Mark has thrived since his brief appearance in the Gr.2 Japan NZ Trophy when he clipped heels and lost rider Sam Collett after 100 metres.“He’s come through that unscathed we were going to take him back to Tauranga, but we might go to Hawke’s Bay instead,” said Murdoch, who has decided to spell barn mate Promise To Reign.
The Manhattan Rain four-year-old was a multiple Group placegetter last season, but this term she has endured a luckless campaign.“She’s hardly had a clear run so it’s been frustrating,” Murdoch said. “The only time she got a good draw was at Wellington and then she got snookered on the fence.”
Promise To Reign was into the open late in the straight and finished powerfully for third in the Gr.3 Trentham Stakes.
