Mark Du Plessis has just got his first taste of group one success and is looking for a second helping at Trentham today.
Du Plessis, one of the star performers for Saturday's oaks meeting, will partner Durzetta in the group one $130,000 Telegraph Handicap.
Durzetta was only two lengths from the winner when sixth in the Railway Handicap (1200m) at Ellerslie on January 1 and came out of the race with an injury.
"She pulled a back hamstring in the Railway and it probably affected her," Du Plessis said.
"She's such a hard trier and it was probably the ground that did it.
"She's been working well and I think she's a good chance. She's drawn out but will get back and run home."
Du Plessis has seven other mounts today, including Desert Rain in the Wellington Cup Trial Handicap (2200m). He rates Wattenbach, a stablemate of Durzetta, as a "big chance" in the premier quality 2400 and D'Este is a form runner in the maiden 1400.
Wattenbach finished sixth in a premier quality 2100m at Ellerslie at his last start and was a runaway winner over 2400m, in graduation open company, at his previous start.
Du Plessis, 25, enjoyed his most successful day in racing on Saturday.
The former Zimbabwe rider won three races including the group one $245,000 New Zealand Oaks on Tapildo and the listed stakes race, the $30,000 Anniversary Handicap (1600m) on Andrella, a stablemate of Tapildo. His other win came on Akroyd in a $7000 maiden.
His biggest win before the oaks had been the group two Eight Carat Stakes at Ellerslie on Durzetta and the group three Cornwall Handicap, also at Ellerslie, on Blown Away.
His previous best in a group one race had been a second, beaten a short head, on Trinity College in the Manawatu Sires' Produce Stakes.
"My main target for this season was to win a group one race and I also wanted to get close to 100 winners."
He has now achieved his first aim and has a chance of cracking the century. Saturday's treble gave Du Plessis 49 wins for the term, equalling his tally for the whole of last season. He is in third place on the premiership for this season which finishes on July 31.
Du Plessis topped the Zimbabwe apprentices' ladder in the 1994-45 season and was the leading overall rider in 1997-98.
- NZPA
Racing: Group one success tastes so good Mark's back for more
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