South African jockey Warren Kennedy is the regular rider of both Aquacade and Cup second favourite Dionysus but Noble says Kennedy will, all going well, partner Aquacade.
One decision Kennedy won’t have to make is between star 3-year-old filly Prowess and Defibrillate in Saturday’s $450,000 Herbie Dyke at Te Rapa.
Prowess will bypass the weight-for-age race to start in the Ellis Classic the same day, her performance there determining whether she presses on to the NZ Derby on March 4.
“The Derby is still very much on the radar but we want to see how she goes this Saturday and also how some of her Derby rivals perform,” says co-trainer Roger James.
Derby favourite Sharp ‘N’ Smart is a confirmed Herbie Dyke starter and also for the Derby, with Ryan Elliot to ride.
Rollercoaster hits low
Copy That’s rollercoaster career in Victoria hit another low in the A$500,000 Hunter Cup on Saturday.
The Kiwi was a warm favourite for the Group 1 but after losing an early speed duel he over-raced, choked down and was pulled out of the race.
To make matters worse the standard post-race veterinary examination shows he had suffered a grade 3 bleed in his lower respiratory tract and he was automatically stood down from racing for 28 days.
While disappointed, trainer Ray Green is adamant he can still get Copy That to the $1 million The Race at Cambridge on April 14.
“He has had issues before and bounced straight back from them and he just seems a lot happier at home,” says Green.
“So The Race at Cambridge will be his next big target and I am sure we can get him ready for that.”
The weekend wasn’t a total write-off for New Zealand pacers in Australia as B D Joe won on Menangle debut to set himself up for a Miracle Mile campaign while Canterbury pacer Republican Party also won his first Australian start and qualified for the Chariots Of Fire on February 18.