Island Life to add to family’s big week
Promising filly Island Life could cap a big week for one of Pencarrow Stud’s families when she lines up as favourite for the Group 3 Sunline Vase (2100m) at Ellerslie on Saturday.
Island Life is by Vadamos out of the Montjeu mare Lycia, whose half-sister Corinthia is the dam of last Saturday’s Group 1 Australian Guineas (1600m) winner Feroce.
Pencarrow principal Sir Peter Vela retained Island Life to race in his familiar blue and white hooped colours, and she has been a big mover in Final Field betting in the lead-up to the Sunline Vase.
Island Life and fellow black-type performer Eye Candy vied for favouritism when the markets opened on Wednesday, with Island Life at $4.40 and Eye Candy $4.80.
But it has been one-way traffic from there as Island Life has tightened into $3.20.
Island Life boasts strong form credentials in a six-race career that has produced a win, two seconds and a third.
She finished second and first in her first two starts in the spring, then stepped up to stakes level with a close second in the Group 3 Wellington Stakes (1600m) at Otaki.
She was beaten by a long head in that race by Tuxedo, who went on to place in the Karaka Millions 3YO (1600m) before easily winning last month’s Group 2 Waikato Guineas (2000m).
He is a leading contender for the Group 1 New Zealand Derby (2400m) on Saturday.
Island Life’s next start produced a late-finishing fifth in the Group 3 Eulogy Stakes (1600m) behind this season’s benchmark staying filly Leica Lucy.
She then stepped up over ground and ran third behind Real Class and Bella Montagna in the Group 2 Sir Patrick Hogan Stakes (2000m) at Ellerslie on New Year’s Day.
Both of those fillies have since been sold to Australia.
Trainers Steven Ramsay and Julia Ritchie freshened Island Life after the Sir Patrick Hogan Stakes.
She resumed with a sixth over 1500m at Pukekohe on February 23.
“She probably needed that run,” Ritchie said.
“We chucked her out in the paddock for 10 days after the race on New Year’s Day, and she did really well and we were possibly a bit light on her. But she also ran into a wall of horses in that race at Counties, so she didn’t have a lot of luck go her way either.
“She’s come through that run really well and is looking bright and happy. Everything’s gone pretty well with her leading into Saturday.”
Ramsay and Ritchie will use Saturday’s Sunline Vase to determine whether Island Life carries on to Trentham for a shot at the Group 1 New Zealand Oaks (2400m) on March 22.
Leica Lucy dominates the market for that fillies’ classic as a $1.30 favourite.
Myakkabelle is on the second line of betting at $8, with Island Life currently rated a $10 third favourite.
“Early on, we were a bit sceptical about getting her up over ground,” Ritchie said. She used to race a little bit fiercely. But she seems a lot more relaxed these days and has settled down a lot.
“Saturday is going to be a big test for her. We’ll use this race to see whether we press on for the Oaks, or if she might be better suited to dropping back down in distance. There’s still a little bit of a question mark there.
“What we do know is that a nice, even tempo will suit her and help her to relax. The Sir Patrick Hogan Stakes was just run too slowly.”
The Sunline Vase could be part of a big Champions Day for Sir Peter Vela, who also shares in the ownership of the $3.5 million NZB Kiwi (1500m) contender Public Attention.
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