Previously unbeaten filly Lara Antipova’s spring campaign will change tack slightly following her first career defeat in last Saturday’s Gr.3 Quezette Stakes (1100m) at Caulfield.
The daughter of Russian Revolution was an unstoppable force in New Zealand last season, winning all four of her starts, including the Gr.1 Sistema Stakes (1200m), and the decision was made for her to join Te Akau’s Cranbourne barn to test her talent in Australia this spring.
However, she wasn’t given any favours in her Australian debut, lumbered with 59kg and forced to race three and four wide, and she was held up in the latter stages of the race, finishing ninth.
“She had to carry 59 kilos, and she is not the biggest of fillies, and she didn’t get many favours in the running either,” Walker said. “She seems fine. She scoped with Grade 2 mucus after the race, which was unusual because she scoped clean on the Tuesday after her gallop.”
Initially set to head to the Gr.2 Thousand Guineas Prelude (1400m) at Caulfield on September 19, Walker has elected to change tack in search of weight relief, and she will now line-up at Flemington a week prior.
“We will go to a new race called the Mike Moroney (Listed, 1400m) on the 12th of September, and it’s against the colts and geldings at set weights and penalties, but she will carry 57.5kg because she gets that two-kilo filly allowance,” he said.
“If she went really well, she will go to the Bill Stutts Stakes (Gr.2, 1600m), and that’s when she gets back to set weights racing, which will help.”
Meanwhile, back in New Zealand, Te Akau will have a quiet weekend, with just the one runner at Te Rapa on Saturday - Born To Be Royal in the Chittick Family Back Butch Castles Legacy Trust 1500.
The four-year-old daughter of King’s Legacy was a handy two and three-year-old, placing in the Gr.2 Matamata Breeders’ Stakes (1200m) and Gr.2 Sir Patrick Hogan Stakes (2000m).
Born To Be Royal has had two trials leading into her season opener, and Walker, along with his New Zealand training partner Sam Bergerson, expect her to derive plenty of benefit from her weekend run.
“She takes a few runs to get to fitness, and it hasn’t been the easiest of winters at home,” Walker said. “She will improve once we get a bit more racing into her.”
The barn will also head to Te Rapa with Group One performers Qali Al Farrasha and Talisker, Group Three performer Egyptian Queen, and stakes performer She Suits Herself for the Group and Listed 1050m trial. – LOVERACING.NZ News Desk
