Top Thorndon ride for Bosson; Pentagon Achiever gets the nod; Draw the only worry; Autumn star in waiting

Top Thorndon ride for Bosson

Opie Bosson has a strong chance of marking his return from suspension with a Group One victory at Trentham on Saturday.

He will ride the quality mare Sports Illustrated in the Harcourts Thorndon Mile and the five-year-old’s connections are confident she can go close in the feature event.

“I think she’s back to her very best – she’s really hitting her straps now and she’ll go a very good race,” co-trainer Andrew Forman said.

Pentagon Achiever gets the nod

Trent Busuttin has tipped Pentagon Achiever as the best of the stable’s quartet of runners at Ellerslie on Sunday.

The Cambridge three-year-old is likely to run in the Azamour-European Champion 1400 in preference to the Curraghmore 1200.

“He’s got plenty of natural speed and on paper the 1400 looks a touch softer,” said Busuttin, who trains with his partner Natalie Young. “From a punters’ point of view, he’s probably our best chance.”

They will also be represented by Caorunn in the Listed Karaka Million, Tavago in the Listed NZB Insurance Karaka Mile and Predator in the Hallmark Stud Mile.

Draw the only worry

A wide gate is the only concern for The Soultaker in Sunday’s Listed Karaka Million.

Co-trainer Donna Logan said the Iffraaj colt had improved following his narrow defeat by Sacred Elixir at his most recent appearance.

“He’s thrived since his last run, we knew he was a little bit underdone and he’s worked brilliantly. When you look at the last eight runnings of the race, horses have won from out there.”

Opie Bosson will have charge of The Soultaker from gate 14 – “he’s probably worth two lengths,” Logan said.

Autumn star in waiting

Smart four-year-old Shillelagh is on a break after making an impressive start to her career.

She won her first three starts before she was a fast-finishing second to the highly-regarded Nomisma at Ellerslie on New Year’s Day.

Shillelagh was among the early nominations for Saturday’s Gr.1 Harcourts Thorndon Mile, but trainers Stephen Autridge and Jamie Richards have decided on a more patient approach.

“We’ve backed off her and we’ll make some plans for the autumn, she’s an exciting mare,” Richards said.

Kiwis honoured in Singapore

New Zealand has featured strongly in the 2015 Singapore Racing Awards.

Kiwi-bred War Affair was crowned the champion miler and the son of O’Reilly also won the champion four-year-old division while Affleck, by Battle Paint, was the champion three-year-old.

Former NZ premiership winner Mark Walker was the champion trainer while Horse of the Year and champion older horse Stepitup, a stablemate of Affleck, is prepared by expatriate New Zealand trainer Laurie Laxon.

The champion sprinter Emperor Max is from the yard of the former Waverley-based trainer Stephen Gray.