NZ HARNESS NEWS
A Northern Oaks placing was always going to be good form heading in to Sunday’s modest Cambridge meeting and so it proved for visiting Ardmore filly Gold Orchid.
She took out the feature on the day, the $17,500 Nevele R Fillies Series Heat for three-year-olds, leading all way in the hands of her trainer and co-owner Tony Herlihy.
A last start third behind Elle Mac and Delight In Me in the Group 1 staying test saw Gold Orchid start a $1.50 favourite at Cambridge.
Herlihy races her with Takapuna breeder Peter Hope-Johnstone, with whom he raced Gold Orchid’s dam, Honey Rose Falcon (8 wins).
“Her mother was a nice mare that did a good job and this one seems pretty nice too,” said the ever under-stated Herlihy.
A trip south to Canterbury is probably in the offing for the daughter of Bettor’s Delight with both the New Zealand Oaks ($150,000) and the Nevele R Series Final ($140,000) a week apart in mid-May.
“We’ve put a nomination in for the Oaks but we’ll just wait and see what happens,” said Herlihy.
“The opposition is pretty good but you never know.
“I think she’ll probably get a bit stronger, too, so there’s further improvement in her.”
Herlihy and Hope-Johnstone have previously raced and sold full brothers to Gold Orchid in Danger Mouse and The Lemondrop Kid while a two-year-old sister is shaping up nicely.
“She’s nice enough at this stage – a big filly that will just need a bit more time, I’d say.”
Herlihy trained a double on the card with Ultimate Angel taking out an earlier event for wife Suzanne with stable junior Tony Cameron in the cart.
“She’s a good, honest mare that keeps earning for us.
“We’ll take her to Auckland this week and see how we go.”
Herlihy’s neighbor, Steve Telfer, also trained a double on the card (Ardent Lustre and Step Up) while Maurice McKendry was another to secure a brace, Shanway and Shandance both saluting.
- NZ Harness News
Approved By Dean Baring www.harnessbred.com
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