Two jumpouts in front of just a handful of people on Monday have trainer Allan Sharrock predicting a Group 2 drag race down the Trentham straight tomorrow, but he doesn’t know whether his in-form mare Darci La Bella can hold off Coventina Bay in the $120,000 Manawatū Challenge Stakes.
The two mares are high class, with Coventina Bay already a proven two-time Group 1 winner while Darci La Bella looked ready to go to the next level winning the Breeders Stakes with a wicked turn of foot at Pukekohe last start.
She has the race fitness edge over Coventina Bay for the 1400m feature which looks set to be run on a soft track, which might narrowly favour Darci La Bella.
Both went to the Stratford jumpouts on Monday and Sharrock liked what he saw from Darci La Bella, but didn’t enjoy seeing the improved fitness of her rival, trained by Robbie Patterson.
“Our mare is spot on and has thrived since that last-start win, she was very good on Monday,” he offers.