Quality mare on trail of elusive Group One

War Decree’s daughter Val Di Zoldo will be given opportunities this preparation to lock in the only missing credit on her CV.

The six-year-old is the dual Group Two winner of the Travis Stakes (2000m) and Lowland Stakes (2100m) and also has a victory in the Gr.3 Manawatu Breeders’ Stakes (2050m) on her record.

Trainer Tony Pike’s aim now is a strike at the highest level with the closing two legs of the Triple Crown series seen as Val Di Zoldo’s best spring options.

“She’s coming up really well, but the first one (Gr.1 Proisir Plate, 1400m) isn’t ideal for her fresh-up,” he said.

“She’s more of a mile and 2000m horse so we’ll look at alternatives for her first-up run, but at the same time keep it in the back of our minds.”

Val Di Zoldo’s main targets will be the Gr.1 Howden Insurance Mile (1600m) and the Gr.1 Livamol Classic (2040m).

“Hopefully, she can improve a length or so off last season and probably needs everything to go 100 percent right in weight-for-age company at Group One level, but she seems to have come back better than ever,” Pike said.

Val Di Zoldo furthered her preparation on Saturday when runner-up in an 1100m trial at Taupo while stablemate Churchillian finished fourth in her heat.

“Unfortunately, she injured a ligament last season, so she was off the scene for a long time, but she has come back in great order,” Pike said.

The Gr.3 Windsor Park Stud Canterbury Breeders’ Stakes (1400m) during Cup week is a possible target for the mare, whose seven wins include the Gr.3 Anniversary Handicap (1600m).

Hello Youmzain fillies Lucy In The Sky, Cream Tart and Slipper Island also have the Riccarton festival on their programs.

“Lucy In The Sky will have a quiet trial at Te Awamutu and both her and Cream Tart are likely to head to the Gold Trail Stakes (Gr.3, 1200m) on September 6 at Ellerslie and we’ll definitely be looking at the 1000 Guineas (Gr.1, 1600m) with them,” Pike said.

Lucy In The Sky has won two of her three starts, including the Listed Champagne Stakes (1200m) while Cream Tart was a close second on debut before spacing her rivals at her only other start at Te Aroha.

“We’ll look to give Slipper Island a couple of runs before the Stewards (Listed, 1200m), the straight six at Riccarton is very similar to Trentham,” Pike said.

He ended his last campaign with four consecutive wins at Trentham and the Gr.1 Telegraph (1200m) a possible longer-term aim.

Pike has a promising team of younger horses for the spring, among them the Snitzel three-year-old Storm Front who was an impressive debut winner at two and then suffered cardiac arrhythmia when unplaced in the Listed Star Way Staes (1200m).

“He’s a lovely horse and had a jump-out last week and will probably go to the Te Awamutu trials on August 26 and then we’ll decide if he runs in the Sir Colin Meads Trophy (Listed, 1200m) at Ellerslie,” he said.

Meanwhile, last season’s Sir Colin Meads winner Poetic Champion will be off the scene for some time.

“He’s in the paddock, unfortunately he’s always had very bad knees, so he’s had surgery and unlikely to be seen back until the autumn,” Pike said.