Lance O’Sullivan and Andrew Scott are keen to give their promising filly Karman Line the opportunity to impress in Australia later this year.
The Matamata trainers are eyeing a Sydney campaign for the lightly tried daughter of Myboycharlie, who shaped up well in good company before a spell.
The stakes-placed rising four-year-old is back in work and making good progress toward her spring return.
“We would like to get Karman Line to Australia and there are one or two other hopefuls, but we certainly think she has the ability to compete over there,” O’Sullivan said.
Karman Line was an impressive debut winner in November before finishing an unlucky third against older opposition and an unplaced run followed in the Gr.2 Eight Carat Classic (1600m), after which stewards noted she had a slow recovery rate.
She bounced back strongly a month later at her only other appearance when a fast-finishing third in the Listed Karaka Million 3YO Classic (1600m) after being held up in the straight.
“She should have won that and she went out after the race, the reason being that she stood on something and punctured the sole of her foot and it just wouldn’t come right,” O’Sullivan said.
“She’s done about five and a-half weeks’ work and is only a one-win horse, but hopefully we can get her to Sydney and aim a bit higher, depending on how she does.”
Stablemate and multiple Group winner Dragon Leap is also back in work and headed toward an early Group target.
“He is really good and he will trial tomorrow week and then go to Ruakaka for an 1100m race and then reassess, hopefully it will be on to the Foxbridge Plate (Gr.2, 1200m),” O’Sullivan said.
Dragon Leap has won three races, including the Auckland Guineas (1600m) and Avondale Guineas (1600m) at Group Two level, but has been restricted by injuries to just nine starts.
The son of Pierro made three appearances earlier this season and finished fifth when resuming in the Gr.1 Tarzino Trophy (1400m), third in the Gr.3 J Swap Sprint (1400m) and hasn’t been seen since he was third in the Gr.3 Concorde Handicap (1200m).
Meanwhile, stablemate Dark Destroyer is still spelling following his successful Queensland campaign and no spring plans have been locked in place for the Proisir gelding.
“He’s doing well and we look forward to his return to the stable,” O’Sullivan said.
Raced by Archer Equine Investments, Dark Destroyer won the Gr.2 Auckland Guineas (1600m) and the Gr.3 Bonecrusher Stakes (1400m) during his domestic summer campaign before heading to Brisbane.
He finished runner-up in the Gr.2 Queensland Guineas (1600m) before going one better in the Gr.3 Rough Habit Plate (2143m) and was then a luckless fourth in the Gr.1 Queensland Derby (2400m) to close out a lucrative three-year-old season.
“David (Archer) will come up with a plan for him in due course,” O’Sullivan said.
A more immediate focus for the stable will be on Saturday’s Ruakaka meeting where Two Madison will step out in the ITM/GIB stayers’ Winter Championship Series Final (2200m).
“The distance should suit her and she always takes a few runs to get fit,” O’Sullivan said.
