Cambridge mare Imprevu will be seeking to shed her bridesmaid tag when she heads to Matamata on Saturday to contest the Listed Lisa Chittick Champagne Stakes (1400m).
For the second successive year, the daughter of Wrote finished runner-up on Karaka Millions night, finishing behind Moschino in the Jo Giles Stakes (1400m) after being runner-up to Konasana in last year’s Gr.2 Westbury Classic (1400m).
They join her growing list of placings, including the Gr.3 Rotorua Stakes (1400m) and Listed Legacy Lodge Sprint (1200m), and trainer Janenne Dalley is keen to buck that trend this weekend.
Dalley is pleased with Imprevu in the lead-up to the Lisa Chittick Champagne Stakes, but the wet weather forecast remains her biggest quandary.
“Everything is going to plan, so I just hope the rain isn’t going to be too much,” she said.
While concerned about the forecast, Dalley said it could aid their chances from their wide gate of 11 in the 13-horse field.
“She will be out of trouble there and won’t be locked up on the fence,” she said. “At that time of day (race six), if we do get a bit of rain, I don’t think it is going to hurt her.”
With regular rider Tayla Mitchell currently suspended, Imprevu will be reunited with apprentice jockey Hayley Hassman, who has ridden her on three prior occasions, and Dalley would love it if she could win on her mare.
“Tayla does a lot of the track work on her but she is suspended,” Dalley said. “Tayla and Elen (Nicholas) have won on her, so it would be nice if Hayley can win on her as well.”
Following Saturday, Imprevu is set to head to Ellerslie on Champions Day where she will be seeking redemption in the Gr.2 Al Basti Equiworld Dubai Classic (1400m), formerly known as the Westbury Classic.
On that card last year the seven-year-old mare was unplaced in the Gr.1 New Zealand Thoroughbred Breeders’ Stakes (1600m), and Dalley hasn’t ruled out heading south to tackle the mile feature at its new home of Trentham next month.
“We have tried her over a mile three times and she hasn’t really liked it,” she said. “It may be on the cards, but we will just get through tomorrow and Champions Day.”
Imprevu is currently a 26-1 outsider with the TAB for the Lisa Chittick Champagne Stakes, but Dalley is confident her mare can belie those odds this weekend.
“She is in a good headspace, we are happy with her and I am sure Hayley will be perfect on her,” Dalley said. “We will try and get a good result with her tomorrow.” – LOVERACING.NZ News Desk
