High expectations for OTI filly Aloisia
The daughter of Azamour has impressed in both of its appearances for Caulfield trainer Ciaron Maher since the horse’s purchase by Terry Henderson’s OTI Racing operation.
Henderson believes they have a special galloper on their hands.
“She’s looking very smart and she’s bred to be an Oaks filly, but she’s precocious enough to go to the 1000 Guineas first,” Henderson said.
Aloisia had two starts in New Zealand last season for co-breeder and part-owner Jason Price and followed up a debut fifth with a runner-up finish behind the subsequent Group One Manawatu Sires’ Produce Stakes runner-up Belle du Nord at Trentham.
Henderson says Aloisia is set to follow a vastly different path to what is considered the norm in New Zealand.
“We don’t find many two-year-olds over there, we usually wait a little longer but we were keeping an eye on her and she came along,” he said.
“When she trialled so well all the loyal guys took a piece so it’s great for her to win for our existing clients.”
Aloisia made an immediate impression across the Tasman when she was successful on debut over 1400m at Flemington and then powered home late to finish second in the Group One J. J. Atkins at Doomben before she was turned out.
OTI also has high hopes for another New Zealand-bred filly in Angelic Spirit.
The Echoes Of Heaven filly was purchased after it won a Foxton trial last December from the Awapuni stable of Mark Oulaghan.
The horse finished a close sixth at Sandown earlier this month after kicking off her Australian career in good style for Cranbourne trainers Trent Busuttin and Natalie Young with a first-up victory at Sale.
Henderson said of the horse: “We really like her and how far she goes we don’t know yet, she’s still a little raw and a big filly.”