In what could be her swansong in New Zealand, class mare Legarto put in her best performance at Ellerslie when she stormed home to collar a game Waitak and claim the Gr.1 Bonecrusher New Zealand Stakes (2000m) on Saturday.
Trainers Ken and Bev Kelso have been scratching their heads with their Group One-performed mare Alabama Lass over the last few months, but they received a confidence boost following her win in a Group and Listed 1100m trial at Taupo on Sunday.
After returning to her best form with a fourth Group One win in Saturday’s Herbie Dyke Stakes (2000m) at Te Rapa, Legarto is likely to have just one more start before being going to auction as a broodmare.
With a six-week gap between two of summer’s major weight-for-age middle-distance features, trainers of leading candidates have taken a variety of approaches to their preparations.
Ken and Bev Kelsos’ millionaire duo of Legarto and Alabama Lass are well on target for further major assignments as the feature summer racing period looms.
“She will appreciate getting back onto a better track at Ellerslie, so hopefully we are tracking in the right way. Her work this morning indicated that we are on track for a nice run on Saturday.”
New Zealand sprinter Alabama Lass will press on for a tilt at the Gr.1 Manikato Stakes (1200m) at The Valley later this month following her runner-up effort in the Gr.1 Moir Stakes (1000m) at the Melbourne track last Saturday.
