Elevenses Recovers From Slight Leg Injury

The leg injury which prevented Te Awamutu-trained mare Elevenses from starting at Ellerslie last Saturday has fully recovered in time for her to contest the $30,000 Lion Red Stakes at Pukekohe tomorrow.

"She gave her leg a bang while working at the track on Friday morning and we had to scratch her," said co-trainer Graeme Sanders.

"She's got over it and strode out well at the track on Tuesday," said Sanders.

Elevenses finished an eye-catching fresh-up third over 1200m at Ellerslie last month.

"The step up to 1400m tomorrow and the conditions of the race will be ideal for her," he said.

The winner of the Group One 1000 Guineas two years ago, Elevenses didn't perform up to her true potential last season.

"We tried her in longer races and found she couldn't really stay. This season she won't be going past 2000m," he said.
Mark Sweeney is booked for the mount on Elevenses in tomorrow's fillies and mares event.

The Sanders stable will also be focused on the two-year-old race at Pukekohe tomorrow with recent Wanganui winner Romar Dale.

"He was impressive in winning at Wanganui and the trip away has made him quite a little pro," said Sanders.

At Hastings tomorrow the Sanders-trained filly, Danceinthesun, will be strongly fancied in the $50,000 Highview Stakes which opens the New Zealand Bloodstock Filly Of The Year series.

Danceinthesun was the highest-rated juvenile filly in New Zealand last season, winning the Group Three Ford 2YO Classic at New Plymouth and beating all but Grout in the Group One Ford Ellerslie Sires' Produce Stakes.

"She has really strengthened up since her two-year-old campaign and she is forward for Hastings," Sanders said. "I think she will develop into a nice staying filly this season."

Gary Grylls will continue his association with Danceinthesun in tomorrow's 1200m Group Three event.
Stablemate Lady Dehere is on the easy list and will miss the Highview Stakes.

"She didn't come through her Wanganui race all that well so she's having a three-week break," he said.

Media Release - TNZ