Group Two winner Yaldi will return to the races on Saturday at Tauranga in the Triton Pacific Owens Plate (1200m), with a view to sticking to shorter trips.

Trainers Simon and Katrina Alexander have always felt distance would be La Crique’s best friend, and they will give her the opportunity to step up over ground when they head to Australia with her later this month.

Pin up boy El Vencedor signed off his latest local campaign with the final leg of a winning Group One treble when he downed gallant mare La Crique in a thrilling finish to the Gr.1 Bonecrusher New Zealand Stakes (2000m) at Ellerslie.

Belclare will attempt to carve out a piece of New Zealand racing history with an unprecedented third victory in the Gr.1 HKJC World Pool New Zealand Thoroughbred Breeders’ Stakes (1600m) at Ellerslie on Saturday.

Stephen Marsh has given the high flying El Vencedor the nod as his best chance of landing a winning blow at Ellerslie on Saturday.

Mark Walker and Sam Bergerson will head to Champions Day at Ellerslie on Saturday with a number of leading prospects, and the country’s leading trainers are looking forward to being a part of the monumental meeting.

Ellerslie has been the home of several of Orchestral’s career highlights, and trainers Roger James and Robert Wellwood are hoping she can add another on Saturday when she contests the $1 million Gr.1 Bonecrusher New Zealand Stakes (2000m).

Some great mares dominated the last Bonecrusher New Zealand Stakes run at Ellerslie on Saturday.

Cambridge trainers Roger James and Robert Wellwood will head into next week’s Champions Day at Ellerslie with a trio of leading chances, with all three pleasing in their final hit-outs at the Auckland track on Saturday.

Talented apprentice jockey Tayla Mitchell not only collected one of the country’s biggest staying races on Saturday at Ellerslie, but she also reached a valuable milestone with a century of winners to her name.

Roger James and Robert Wellwood have played starring roles on many of Ellerslie’s biggest racedays over the last 13 months, and the Cambridge trainers are hoping to continue that trend on Saturday and again on Champions Day on March 8.

Hinekaha will have an opportunity to stamp her Derby credentials against the boys at Ellerslie on Saturday when taking on the Gr.2 Eagle Technology Avondale Guineas (2100m).

The Lance Noble-trained About Time will be rewarded for her consistent run of form with a tilt at stakes level for the first time in more than a year when she heads to Ellerslie on Saturday.

The Otaki-Maori Classic run at Ellerslie on Saturday is often won by top WFA milers.