Racing: Matamata pair in good heart for Ellerslie features

Charles Road is heading to the Auckland Cup on Saturday week. Photo / Royden Williams

Stablemates Charles Road and The Mayor did their upcoming Group One prospects no harm with encouraging last-start displays.

The former finished fourth in the Nathan's Memorial (2400m) having won at his previous appearance over the same trip in the Gr.3 City of Auckland Cup, while the latter finished sixth in the Gr.2 Avondale Guineas (2100m).

"It was a pleasing performance from Charles Road after getting shuffled back in the running off a slow tempo," said Andrew Scott, who trains at Matamata with Lance O'Sullivan. "He quickened in the straight and hit the line well."

Charles Road now heads to the Gr.1 Barfoot & Thompson Auckland Cup (3200m), with his connections quietly confident he will run the trip out.

"You never really know until you try, but things are looking good," Scott said. "He will be at peak fitness so he's being given every opportunity to run the two miles."

Charles Road is the $6 second favourite for the Cup behind the $5 market leader Ladies First.

Meanwhile, his three-year-old stablemate The Mayor is an $18 chance in Saturday's Gr.1 Vodafone New Zealand Derby (2400m).

"It was a good performance from him in the Guineas," Scott said. "He pressed on well, a solid effort from a horse who is still learning."

The Mayor had won two of his previous three runs before taking on the best of his age group at Ellerslie.

• Former New Zealand-trained galloper Werther will be sidelined for the mandatory three months after bleeding from both nostrils when finishing runner-up to Time Warp in Sunday's Gr.1 Hong Kong Gold Cup (2000m).

- NZ Racing Desk

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