Briefs for 5th January 2015

Myers considering Guineas start; Maygrove earns late cup call-up; Kiwi-bred Criterion in quarantine; Saavoya setting the pace.

Myers considering Guineas start

A southern stakes target is being considered for one of the six winners Kevin Myers produced at the Greymouth meeting.

He Knows broke his maiden on Sunday at his third appearance and may now be set for the Listed Gore Guineas on January 17.

He was ridden by David Walsh, who also combined with Myers for wins aboard Boysway, Steelfix, Caramac and Our Alchemist in the Greymouth Cup while Racha Cuneen was successful aboard Duffers Creek for Myers.

His run continued at Otaki on Monday when the first-timer Megablast won over 1600 metres. He holds a nomination for the Gr.1 TV3 New Zealand Derby.

Maygrove earns late cup call-up

Promising stayer Maygrove has earned a late nomination for the Gr.2 Platinum Homes Wellington Cup later this month.

The Murray Baker and Andrew Forsman-prepared son of Authorized will have his final lead-up to the January 24 feature in this Saturday’s Listed Gallagher Group Marton Cup.

Maygrove was a last-start winner in Rating 85 company on the Awapuni course before Christmas.

Kiwi-bred Criterion in quarantine

Criterion is in quarantine at Werribee before starting his build-up toward the Sydney autumn carnival.

Third in the Gr.1 Hong Kong Cup last month, the New Zealand-bred will be confined for two weeks before he returns to Lindsay Park at Euroa, the country stable of co-trainers David Hayes and Tom Dabernig.

“He’s a real beauty,” Dabernig said. “He holds his condition. A lot of horses travelling don’t but he does well in that situation.

“He’ll have a couple of weeks there and then head back to the farm and we’ll kick him along to get him ready for the autumn.”

Criterion will be set for The Championships in Sydney with his main target the Gr.1 Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2000m) at Royal Randwick on April 11.

Saavoya setting the pace

Saavoya’s impressive holiday form has taken her to the top of the leader-board in the NZ Bloodstock Filly of the Year series.

Successive Group Two wins in the Eight Carat and Royal Stakes have propelled her to 16 points and four clear of the Gr.1 New Zealand 1000 Guineas winner Platinum Witness. Darci’s Dream, the runner-up in the classic, is third with seven points.

Trained by Murray Baker and Andrew Forsman, Saavoya will now be given a let-up before preparing for the Gr.1 Wellfield NZ Oaks.

“She’s a real tough thing and I wouldn’t like to be married to her,” Baker said. “I definitely think she is an Oaks filly so we will freshen her and set her for Trentham.”