Racing: Our Abbadean looks top Travis chance

Our Abbadean (No 9) beats Five to Midnight in the Awapuni Gold Cup last month. Photo / Race Images

More of the same is expected of Our Abbadean at Te Rapa today.

The mare is at the top of her game and another strong account is tipped from her in the $100,000 Gr.2 Travis Stakes (2000m).

She will be ridden by Shafiq Rusof, who bagged a double for Te Akau at Awapuni on Wednesday with Qian Cheng and Bojangles.

"She is in really good order and when she's in form she usually holds it," said Jamie Richards, who prepares the five-year-old with Stephen Autridge. "She's trained on well and her work on Tuesday morning was very good."

The daughter of Lookin At Lucky won an open handicap at Trentham three runs back before she was successful in the Gr.2 Awapuni Gold Cup (2000m) and then finished runner-up in the Listed Hawke's Bay Cup (2200m).

Richards said future plans for the Wentwood Grange-bred and owned Our Abbadean were uncertain.

"We're not sure just yet — we'll have a talk with the boys and see whether we push on or give her a break. We think there might be a really good race in her next season."

Expectations are also high for the smart filly Paulownia, who faces a competitive line-up in the Gr.3 Inglis Sales Cambridge Breeders' Stakes.

"She's been working well and we'll put the blinkers on to keep her sharp for the 1200m," Richards said.

"She hasn't drawn well, but there looks to be good tempo in the race and that will help her."

The Coolmore-owned half-sister to Group One winner Foxwedge was an impressive debut winner and has since finished second in the Gr.3 Wellington Guineas (1400m) and in an age group event at Te Rapa.

• Murray Baker and Andrew Forsman will play another strong Travis Stakes hand today.

The Cambridge horsemen will be represented by defending Te Rapa champion Mime and the last-start Gr.1 New Zealand Thoroughbred Breeders' Stakes (1600m) placegetter Nicoletta.

A handy draw will give Mime's regular rider Matthew Cameron plenty of options.

"Obviously she won the race last year and she's well, she's pretty adaptable," Forsman said.

"Nicoletta is a big, strong mare. She's very quiet, but when she gets out on the track she's competitive."

• Luck in the early running will be key to Merlini's chances in today's $70,000 Gr.3 Cambridge Breeders' Stakes (1200m) at Te Rapa.

A last-start second on the course, the Tony Pike-prepared representative will jump from the outside gate on his return.

"It's a similar field to last time, obviously Astor and a couple of others are turning up, but if he can get across and do no work then he's an each-way chance," the Cambridge trainer said.

Meanwhile, plans for a proposed trip to Australia for Caricature have been shelved after the filly's unplaced run in the Listed Warstep Stakes (2000m) at Riccarton.

"She really had to win. It's hard to go to Adelaide off that, but she's had a good season all the same," Pike said.

Caricature placed in the Gr.3 Lowland Stakes and the Listed Oaks Prelude before finishing fourth in the Gr.1 New Zealand Oaks (2400m).

- NZ Racing Desk