We Can Say It Now looked ready to justify her favouritism for the New Zealand Two Thousand Guineas when she worked at Riccarton yesterday morning.
We Can Say It Now and Twilight Savings give Cambridge trainers Murray and Bjorn Baker a strong hand in the $300,000 group one race for 3yr-old fillies.
Twilight Savings ran third against the colts and geldings in the New Zealand Two Thousand Guineas last Saturday. She could be better for the race, her second since May.
We Can Say It Now impressively won the Sarten Memorial (1400m) at Te Rapa at her last start on October 25. She was scratched from the New Zealand Two Thousand Guineas due to the rain-affected track.
Leith Innes rides Twilight Savings with Opie Bosson committed to King's Rose, whom he rode to win the Coupland's Stakes at Ashburton. Innes won the One Thousand Guineas on Ad Alta in 1999. Bosson won last year on Katie Lee.
We Can Say It Now is a commanding type who has thrived at Riccarton during the week.
"I am pleased with both horses but I would like a shower of rain. The track is pretty hard," Sheryl Weller, who is in charge of the fillies, said.
She rode We Can Say It Now yesterday in work on the sand with race rival Rememba Howe (Linda Jenkins). They sprinted the final 600m in 36.2. We Can Say It Now also worked well on Tuesday.
Rememba Howe ran fourth in the New Zealand Two Thousand Guineas.
"She tied up after the race and had veterinary treatment. She has eaten everything," J J Rayner, her co-trainer, said.
"It was the first time she had raced among horses and she would have preferred a better track."
Trainer Allan Sharrock said the draw was a positive for Belles First.
"She has a nice draw and hopefully she can make use of it," he said.
He was also encouraged that Belles First beat a highly regarded horse in Galaxy Star at her last start at Otaki.
Trainer Jon Sargent has decided to put blinkers on Banchee.
"She has been looking around and the blinkers should get her to concentrate," he said.
"She has taken a bit of time to come up this preparation."
• New Zealand TAB final field dividends for the main races at Riccarton tomorrow:
Race 6, NZ One Thousand Guineas: $2.80 We Can Say It Now; $6 Twilight Savings; $7 Banchee; $8 Rememba Howe; $8.50 Zennista; $9 King's Rose; $13 Magic Briar; $15 Elusive Tracy; $18 Dating; $31 Belles Fast, Smoulder; $41 Heart's Delight; $101 Princess Emmy, Miss Maximus, Red Horizon.
Race 8, New Zealand Cup: $3.30 Nightime Jockey; $5 Roi d'jeu; $7 Blood Brotha; $10 Titch, Bakup; $12 Kerdem, Showcause; $18 Seaflyte; $21 Butch James; $26 Zabene, The Jungle Boy, Yours; $31 Ginella, Prix Du Sang, Dadzadreamer; $41 No Cash, Chase The Sun; $51 Electronic Socks, Wotabuzz; $61 Outrage; $81 Aronsay, Bradnor; $151 Selenus.
