New Zealand’s champion two-year-old Lara Antipova bounced back to form with a strong victory in the Listed Michael Moroney (1400m) at Flemington on Saturday.
The Mark Walker-trained filly had been below her best when finishing ninth in the Gr.3 Quezette Stakes (1100m) at Caulfield at her first Australian appearance, but showed her true colours second-up under Mark Zahra.
Sent out a $9 chance, Lara Antipova jumped cleanly and Zahra was able to secure the box seat before taking an inside passage as the leader rolled out under pressure in the straight.
The daughter of Russian Revolution drove through strongly and went on to defeat $71 outsider Aragog by three-quarters of a length, with Somethings Burnin’ a long neck away in third.
Walker had been confident of significant improvement after Lara Antipova pleased him in a recent gallop at Mornington.
“The main thing was, she just wasn't quite there in the coat and she'd come a long way,” Walker said.
“Ben (Gleeson, Assistant Trainer) and I took her to Mornington for a track gallop and we just knew when she galloped that day that she was somewhere near back to it.
“It’s great today for the New Zealand industry that our form stacks up. She is a Group One winner at home and I know this is a Listed race, but it was a quality field today, so it's just really good when our form stacks up.
“Hopefully we go on to a Thousand Guineas (Gr.1, 1600m) from here.”
Lara Antipova was crowned New Zealand’s champion two-year-old following an outstanding juvenile campaign in which she went undefeated in four starts, headed by victory in the Gr.1 Sistema Stakes (1200m) at Ellerslie.
The Gr.2 Edward Manifold Stakes (1600m) at Flemington or Gr.2 Stutt Stakes (1600m), run at Caulfield this year, are the next potential options.
“From here on in it will either be the Edward Manifold or the Bill Stutt Stakes and those are set weights,” Walker said.
“She’s done the hard yards carrying the Group One penalty and now she goes back to level weights, so that should be suitable.”
Zahra could see a different filly before Saturday’s race and was confident she would improve sharply on her Australian debut.
“When you're seeing synthetic hoof filler off and the way she looked in the yard compared to last time, you're always confident she was going to run an improved race and she ended up winning,” Zahra said.
“We flew the start, I was able to find the box seat, travelled well and I just needed a bit of room at the right time.
“Blake (Shinn on leader Milsons Point) just got out a bit, and she was going that well, I got through and then she was sort of having a look around on the line, so it was nice for us to get the victory.”
Zahra believes Lara Antipova has the scope to continue progressing through the spring.
“I had the run of the race and she went well, but she's only got to race against her own grade this spring, she’s done what she can, so I dare say she'll probably go on a Thousand Guineas path or something like that,” he said.
The win carried added significance for both Walker and Zahra, with the race honouring the late Mike Moroney, a champion of the training ranks on both sides of the Tasman.
“I spent many a year with Mike at Matamata in the early days before he came over to Adelaide and then Melbourne and he was just an absolute gentleman,” Walker said.
“He was always full of good stories, we had a lot of banter at the Matamata track over the years.”
Zahra also enjoyed a long association with Moroney and said winning the race bearing his name was particularly meaningful.
“It’s very special. He was a good friend of mine, I rode a lot of winners for him, just an all-round great bloke and no one had anything bad to say about him, so an absolute privilege,” Zahra said.
“I’ll have a glass of red for Mike tonight.”
Bred by Eden and Jenni Harrington, Lara Antipova is a daughter of Russian Revolution and Artistic Lass and was purchased for A$100,000 from Vinery Stud’s Magic Millions draft by Te Akau Racing principal David Ellis in partnership with Fortuna Racing.