Mum-to-be’s abiding memories

The clock is ticking for Tauranga Stakes winner Abidewithme.

Owners and breeders Sir Patrick and Lady Hogan would love a Group I win before the Redoubte’s Choice mare settles into life at their Cambridge Stud.

Her Group II Tauranga Stakes(1600m) win on Saturday is the forerunner to a treble of Group I starts before the mandatory retirement of the 7-year-old mare who is carrying a service to the Hogans boom sire Tavistock.

The treble starts with the Captain Cook Stakes (1600m) at Trentham on November 3 with Boxing Day’s Zabeel Classic (2000m) at Ellerslie and the Herbie Dyke Stakes (2000m) at Te Rapa in February also targets.

Zabeel is a son of Sir Tristram, both stallions making their mark on New Zealand thoroughbred breeding history from their Cambridge Stud base.

Winning the race named in honour of their great sireisn’t new to the Hogans, they won with Encosta De Lago mare Lashed in 2004 but would hold special significance if they could repeat with Abidewithme

Abidewithme is out of the Zabeel mare Crimson, a half-sister to three stakes winners including the Victoria Derby winner Omnicorp.

Saturday’s win was Abidewithme’s ninth from 33 starts and boosted her prize-money beyond $400,000.

It was her second Group II victory, having claimed the Travis Stakes at Te Rapa in 2015. She has also won the Listed Ray Coupland Stakes and Anniversary Handicap.

Abidewithme has twice placed at Group I level, finishing second and third in the last two runnings of the New Zealand Thoroughbred Breeders’ Stakes at Te Aroha.

Under the rules of racing, mares are allowed to race for 120 days after their final service date.

‘‘Her campaign has been tailored around her service dates,’’ said Stephen Autridge who cotrains the mare at Matamata with Jamie Richards.

‘‘The idea was to allow her to finish on a high in these Group I races and it has worked out well.

‘‘She is in terrific form at the moment and is thriving.’’