Progressive Awapuni mare La Bella Grande will make the journey north to Te Rapa on Wednesday with a potentially lucrative goal in mind.
Following a hotly contested running of the $350,000 Remutaka Classic (2100m) at Trentham a fortnight ago, the second of newly-instated innovation races will be run on Legends Day at Te Rapa on February 10, with the $350,000 Sir Patrick Hogan Karapiro Classic (1600m).
La Bella Grande, an impressive maiden victor two starts back at Wanganui, is eligible under the MAAT conditions, however, after the Remutaka drew an overwhelming number of nominations, trainer Roydon Bergerson is wary of the mare missing a start with her current rating of 63.
“We need a few more rating points to get into the Karapiro Classic, hence why we’re heading up there on Wednesday,” he said.
The daughter of Per Incanto will aim to raise that figure in the Entain – NZB Insurance Pearl Series (1400m) with regular rider Lisa Allpress in the saddle, the pair’s last performance finishing in a creditable fourth place behind Witz End at Trentham on January 20.
“It was just a sit and sprint down there which doesn’t really suit her. Sam Weatherley (jockey of Witz End) basically pulled their pants down in front, just cantered along and sprinted for home, while this mare likes to roll along,” Bergerson said.
“We’ve put the blinkers on since then to sharpen her up, and the trackwork riders have said that they’ve definitely made a difference.”
Waikato Stud narrowly missed a victory in the Remutaka Classic with Nereus, who was runner-up to The Odyssey, while Wairarapa nursery Little Avondale Stud could be afforded the same opportunity with homebred La Bella Grande, should she make the final field.
“She’s pretty fresh and she’ll need to be for the 1400m, but I think she’ll be better suited at the mile, so hopefully she can get in,” Bergerson said.
Bergerson’s Group Three-winning mare Town Cryer added further black-type to her record when finishing third in the Gr.3 Anniversary Handicap (1600m) behind Churchillian the weekend prior at Trentham, and will bypass Saturday’s Gr.3 Taranaki Cup (1800m), in favour of the Listed Wairarapa Breeders’ Stakes (1600m) on February 6.
“We were going to go to Taranaki, but we’ve decided to stick back to the fillies and mares at Tauherenikau, so she’ll go there next,” he said.