Quintessential will have the services of the in-form Leith Innes when she tackles the Group One New Zealand Thoroughbred Breeders’ Stakes at Te Aroha on Saturday.
The four-year-old mare, who is trained by John Sargent for Greg Tomlinson’s Nearco Stud Ltd, has had two runs in this preparation to ready her for Saturday’s assignment and judging by what I saw at trackwork this morning, she is close to peak fitness.
Quintessential (Fast ‘n’ Famous ex Florette) is best know for her Queensland Oaks-Gr.1 (2400m) victory last winter and Queensland Derby-Gr.1 (2400m) second placing a week later, but she should not be underestimated at 1600m. Last season at three years she won the Desert Gold Stakes-Gr.3 (1600m), defeating Capital Diamond and Artistic.
One of her very best runs last term was when a fast-finishing fourth in the Group 3 Gunsynd Classic (1600m) at Eagle Farm, while earlier this season she was a close-up fifth at 1600m in the Group One George Main Stakes with the likes of Shoot Out, Rangirandoo, Secret Admirer and All Too Hard in front of her that day.
A return to Australia is on the cards for Quintessential if she performs with distinction this weekend, with possible targets to include the Doomben Cup-Gr.1 and Brisbane Cup-Gr.2.
Quintessential (Megan Woollams) at the Matamata track this morning