Track queens: Kiwi racemares chasing A$20m in stakes
Imperatriz will be a short Group 1 favourite today. Michael Guerin
Three of the queens of New Zealand racing are where their trainers want them today to start a fortnight in which Kiwi mares will chase nearly A$20 million in stakes.
Matamata mare Imperatriz will start one of New Zealand’s shortest Group 1 favourites in Australia in two decades in the A$2m Manikato Stakes at The Valley today, her race even more important to many race fans here than the iconic Cox Plate that follows less than an hour later.
Earlier in The Valley’s programmes, fellow New Zealandtrained Group 1 winners Prowess and
● Pukekohe: First race 12.20pm, featuring $175,000 Soliloquy Stakes.
● Riccarton: First race 12.05pm, featuring $100,000 War Decree Stakes.
● The Valley (Melbourne): First race 2.10pm NZ time, Cox Plate and Manikato Stakes.
Mustang Valley warm up for even bigger assignments when they contest a six-horse Crystal Mile.
Add in filly Aprilia in the A$300,000 Fillies Classic, and New Zealand has realistic winning chances in three black type races today, even though there are no Kiwi runners in the Cox Plate.
That starts a fortnight in which Legarto will be one of the favourites for the A$10m Golden Eagle in Sydney next Saturday, while Imperatriz is favourite for the A$3m Champions Sprint at Flemington on November 11, the same day Mustang Valley and Prowess also have big-money options.
Aprilia and Ladies Man, potential Melbourne Cup runners, could also chase mammoth paydays.
While some of those are stars who can win their targets, Imperatriz is one who should win today against only six rivals over 1200m on a track she seems to love.
“She is exactly where she needs to be, so we have no excuses,” says cotrainer Mark Walker. “I don’t think we [the stable] would ever have had a $1.45 favourite in a Group 1 race over here before but they don’t give these Australian Group 1s away.”
From barrier 4, Imperatriz should have the option to settle in the running line, and as long as there is decent tempo, she should only have to race up to her two recent track record runs to sweep past her rivals for Opie Bosson.
As good as Mustang Valley is, Prowess looks the better chance of the two Cambridge mares in the Crystal Mile.
Prowess was beaten at Ha¯wera last start but co-trainer Roger James says she has improved greatly since and is ready to show her best today.
“Her work last Saturday was the best she has ever done,” says James.
Prowess has enough natural speed to stay handy or even lead for red-hot form jockey Mark Zahra and she can start a huge day, or fortnight, for New Zealand-trained horses in her 4.30pm (NZ time) assignment.
That is just minutes after the domestic race of the day, the $175,000 Soliloquy Stakes at Pukekohe, which will go a long way to deciding who heads to the 1000 Guineas at Riccarton next month.
● Walker suggests It’s Business Time (R8, No 5) at Riccarton is the premiership-winning stable’s best chance of a New Zealand winner today.