Abidewithme Thriving

The NZ Racing Desk reports:

Stephen Autridge can't get over the progress made by Manco Easter Stakes candidate Abidewithme in the last few weeks.

“When she came back from Australia a month ago we were going to miss the Easter and have a go at the Travis Stakes at Te Rapa, but she's thrived,” said Autridge, who trains in partnership with Jamie Richards.

“She loves the sunlight and the good New Zealand grass. She came back lean and mean and she's just gone ahead.

“The way she's looking, she could run in the Easter and back up in the Travis the following week, just like she did last year.”

Abidewithme was sent to Melbourne trainer Peter Moody by her owner-breeders Sir Patrick and Lady Justine Hogan after she won the  Gr. 2 Travis Stakes at Te Rapa 12 months ago and she won the first of her six Australian starts, fresh-up over 1400 metres at Caulfield last August.

She returned to Te Akau Racing Stables just 10 days before she resumed her domestic career in the Gr. 1 New Zealand Thoroughbred Breeders' Stakes, the Te Aroha feature in which she finished third to the Baker/Forsman stablemates Diademe and Sports Illustrated 12 months earlier.

Overlooked by most punters, Abidewithme charged home down the outside after being one of the tailenders to the home turn and wound up second, just a neck behind Perfect Fit.

“That was a huge run and the way she has improved she has to be a good chance on Saturday,” said Autridge.

“We're trying to win a Group One with her and it would be nice to do it in the Easter. She's already a valuable mare and that would top it off nicely.

“The plan is for her to go out after the Travis and be served by Tavistock then maybe come back to race through to Christmas/New Year.

“I think a race like the Zabeel Classic (the Group One weight-for-age feature on Boxing Day at Ellerslie) would be perfect for her.”