Racing: Sleepy filly has dream run

Vinnie Colgan rides Sofia Rosa to victory at Ellerslie on Saturday. Photo / Trish Dunell

When Sofia Rosa switches up a gear she is a nightmare for race rivals

Here's a tip: If you're thinking of backing Sofia Rosa at any time don't dare go and watch her in the parade ring.

You'll be put off. What you'll see is a tucked-up filly on the toe to the extent you will be certain she'll run straight through the bridle from the barriers until she's exhausted, which is likely to be well before the finish.

Nothing could be further from the truth. Trainer Stephen Marsh explains about his winner of the $20,000 Rentokil 3YO at Ellerslie on Saturday. Sofia Rosa is definitely not a case of what you see is what you get.

"Remarkably when you go to the tie-ups to saddle her for a race she's asleep, as she was yesterday," said Marsh yesterday.

"Then, when the horses get to the mounting yard she gets on the toe and you can't get her to settle. But when she gets out on the track she relaxes and is a perfect darling during a race."

Sofia Rosa is almost sluggish in her races, but when she switches up a gear in the closing 450m she is a terror with a real will to win. She refused to race completely straight in the final stages on Saturday, but she had enough momentum to win comfortably.

One of the issues Marsh faces with the filly is her inability to carry condition. "She's always been light and as a result she takes almost no work to get her ready.

"We're looking at the Eight Carat Classic on Boxing Day and she will do almost nothing in the next week and a half then a bit more towards the race." What you would never imagine seeing Sofia Rosa in a parade ring is a filly who will stretch to a middle distance, but her trainer is extremely confident of that happening.

"With her ability to relax in running I've got no doubt she'll run a trip." Volks Lightning, having his first race at Ellerslie, had a good look around in the closing stages and his lack of concentration saw him duck in front of well-supported Selfie, finishing well along the rails. A protest was lodged, but the JCA ruled the interference was too close to the finish.

There was a good run in behind the placegetters from fifth-placed Preetha Varma, who was hampered early in the home straight attempting to get into clear air. Brendan Hutton switched her to the inside and the strides she was taking late were eye-catching.

Cambridge trainer Trevor Cruz is hoping a convincing maiden win at Ellerslie on Saturday by his promising galloper Wingate is just the tip of the iceberg.

Cruz admitted the win had been a long time in the making for the four-year-old son of Northern Meteor who was a $70,000 yearling purchase for the stable.

"He was very backward as a young horse so has taken plenty of time to get to the races," he said.

Any fears Cruz had before the race were quickly dispelled as Wingate was taken straight to the front by rider Samantha Collett and made the race a procession from there on. Collett booted clear in the run home to score by a widening four length margin.

- Additional reporting NZ Racing Desk