Racing: Stay-at-home talent excites Takanini trainer

For the first time this century Bruce Wallace can attack the rich two- and three-year-old races in numbers.

With the likes of Zolata and Fazza, win hopes at Te Aroha today, the Takanini trainer also believes he has the firepower to saturate Village Farm in black type.

"We've got the strongest base of new talent we've had in years," said Wallace.

"With our owners short of a permit or two to race their horses in Singapore and Hong Kong, we can race 25 of the 45 we always have in the stable. Usually we only have about eight to 10 left to race in New Zealand and it's been like that for the last five to eight years."

Wallace isn't exactly complaining, though.

Two of his most recent Asian exports, Why Be and Big Easy, are two of the biggest stars on the Singapore scene right now for former Cambridge trainer Laurie Laxon.

"But people tend to forget what you're capable of here when you're sending horses like that away all the time," said Wallace, who made his name in the 90s with headliners like Star Dancer and Kingston Bay.

"With the two- and three-year-old talent that I have now, it should make things interesting around Christmas."

Impressive trial winners Stradify and Bold Treasure are juveniles Wallace is especially excited about, while Te Aroha candidate Zolata presses for an 11th bid for 1000 Guineas glory today.

With a little over two weeks left until the Riccarton feature on November 5, Wallace admits his $100 fixed odds hope is a longshot to even make the trip.

But if the Zabeel filly wins like Wallace hopes fresh-up in Te Aroha's maiden 1600m (race 5), she could force a hurried re-think.

"She'd still be a rough hope of going to Riccarton, but she'd have to win well," said Wallace.

"She's been a bit flat off the corner in her trials so the 1600m will suit.

"We may be a bit ambitious about the Guineas at this stage but long term I think she'll make the grade - she strikes me as a real Oaks type of filly."

Zolata may be having her first raceday appearance since January today, but Wallace said punters shouldn't be put off on the score of fitness. Three-year-old stablemate Fazza (race 2) is also rated a big win hope at Te Aroha after a narrow but impressive trials win at Ellerslie.

"He reminds me a bit of Kingston Bay on looks and type at the same stage," said Wallace."Last year he was a nervous type but he's a strong galloper now and could surprise this time in."

Tri Star (race 9) gives Village Farm another serious Te Aroha shot at recording its first win for the season. The four-year-old was rated on par with the stable's classic type Able Standard before a cannon bone crack sidelined him for almost a year. "He was out forever but should go pretty good."