The once-beaten Sword Of Osman (NZ) (Savabeel {Aus}) has already ticked his Group 1 box when winning the G1 Sistema S. over 200 metres shorter at Ellerslie last time on Mar. 10 with Te Akau Racing stablemate Avantage (Aus) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}) ($4.60) relegated to bridesmaid duties that day. The $3.40 favourite returns in the second and last of the New Zealand juvenile top-flight contests, the NZ$225,000 G1 Courtesy Ford Manawatu Sires Produce S. at Awapuni on Mar. 31 and will break from gate 12.
A winner over subsequent G3 Phoenix Park 2yo Classic second Platinum Mam'selle (Aus) (Fighting Sun {Aus}) at first asking locally on Dec. 23, Sword Of Osman was relegated to eighth in Avantage's Karaka Million on Jan. 27, but rebounded nicely to score an open-length victory over Thomas Aquinas (NZ) (Jakkalberry {Ire}) and Phoenix Park 2yo Classic third Handsome Rebel (Aus) (Denman {Aus}) in the Feb. 24 G3 Reid & Harrison Ltd. Slipper in dead going at Matamata.
The Sistema sixth, the favoured Melt (NZ) (Iffraaj {GB}), had previously landed the Listed Ashford Lodge S. on Nov. 25 and the Jan. 1 G3 Eclipse S. with She's A Thief (NZ) (Showcasing {GB}) third in her abbreviated career. Second choice on the board at $4.00, she will attempt to regain her top form from stall three on Saturday, but will be traveling left-handed for the first time.
Listed Wellesley S. hero Sir Nate (NZ) (Nadeem {Aus}) bested the winning What a Smasher (NZ) (Swiss Ace {Aus}) in a Trentham 1200-metre event in a warm up for this contest Mar. 17. He is one of two in the race for trainer Lisa Latta.
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