Armidale Stud sires Savoire Vivre and Ladoni shared the honours at Hobart’s postponed meeting on Wednesday and they can take centre stage in the G2 Stocks Stakes at Moonee Valley on Saturday.

Savoire Vivre started the ball rolling on Wednesday with the Harriet Paul trained filly This Moment and Ladoni weighed in with Gary White’s gelding Mafia Man in the last race.

There’s much more at stake on the mainland tomorrow and connections of all Stocks Stakes starters would have breathed a sigh of relief when Horse of the Year Typhoon Tracy accepted for the Dato Tan Chin Nam Stakes instead of the mares race.

Lady Lynette (Ladoni) is the $6 second favourite in opening markets for the $200,000 Stocks Stakes.  She was named Tasmania’s Champion Racemare last season after winning the G3 Tesio Stakes at Moonee Valley and finishing second to Typhoon Tracy in the G1 Myer Classic at Flemington.  

Lady Lynette has put the writing on the wall over shorter trips in the G3 Cockram Stakes at Caulfield and the G2 Let’s Elope Stakes at Flemington in the last month.  She was originally trained by Dave and Scott Brunton but was transferred to Robert Smerdon for her Melbourne campaigns.  

With Decorum (Savoire Vivre) has been quoted at $13 for the Stocks Stakes and she goes into the race off a strong last start win at Caulfield.  She is trained by John Blacker for Ken and Jenny Breese, Jim Osborne and Armidale Stud’s Robyn Whishaw.

Whishaw has another promising mare named Ruff ‘N’ Tuff back home with Longford trainer Barry Baker.  She is by Armidale’s Miswaki sire Tough Speed and resumed from a let-up to win her maiden at Launceston a fortnight ago.

“I definitely think she is a staying type and has just taken a bit of time to mature,” Baker said.  “We will look at putting her over a mile next time.”

Ruff ‘N’ Tuff (4m Tough Speed – Aerobics by Snaadee) is an Armidale homebred and has the pedigree to get a distance.  Her sire was a G3 winner over 2400m at Doncaster and her dam was a Listed winner of the Hobart Guineas over 2100m.