Te Akau Quartet Chases Trans-Tasman Stakes' Honours

Four horses carry Te Akau’s black type hopes this Saturday, with Lara Antipova contesting the Group 1 Thousand Guineas at Caulfield, alongside Listed runners Geegees Mistruth and I Am Aria, while Asturia tackles the Group 2 Windsor Park Stud Soliloquy Stakes at Ellerslie.

For Mark Walker and our Cranbourne team, the A$1.5 million Thousand Guineas over 1600 metres represents an important spring target for Lara Antipova and her Fortuna Racing owners. Craig Williams partners the filly from barrier nine, carrying 56kg.

The daughter of Russian Revolution and Artistic Lass established herself as New Zealand’s leading juvenile last season, winning all four starts and earning Champion Two-Year-Old honours. Her victories included the Group 1 Sistema Stakes, Group 2 Matamata Breeders’ Stakes and Group 2 Wakefield Challenge Stakes.

Lara was selected by Sir David Ellis and purchased by him, together with Fortuna Racing from Vinery Stud’s draft at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale. She has since added Australian stakes 'success to her impressive record. Her September victory in the inaugural Listed Michael Moroney over 1400 metres at Flemington with Mark Zahra in the saddle saw her defeat the boys, providing a memorable result in the first running of a race honouring the respected trainer.

Prepared by Mark Walker and assistant trainer Ben Gleeson at Cranbourne, Lara completed a gallop at Caulfield on Tuesday ahead of Saturday’s assignment. The Thousand Guineas now provides the opportunity to secure Group 1 honours on both sides of the Tasman.

Stablemate Geegees Mistruth also brings Group 1 credentials to Caulfield, having won the Robert Sangster Stakes at Morphettville in April. She contests the A$200,000 Listed Manhari Alinghi Stakes over 1100 metres, with Blake Shinn aboard from barrier six and 61kg allocated.

The five-year-old mare worked nicely alongside I Am Aria at Caulfield on Tuesday as the pair prepared for their respective stakes engagements.

I Am Aria takes her place in the A$200,000 Listed Quayclean Gothic Stakes over 1400 metres, following a close second in the Group 3 Scarborough Stakes at Caulfield on 27 September.

Beaten just a head by Over The Bridge over 1200 metres, the filly now steps up to 1400 metres for the first time. A maiden winner at Bendigo earlier in the preparation, she has shown encouraging progress in stakes' company throughout her career and has another opportunity to add black type success to her record. Michael Dee takes the ride, jumping from barrier five, carrying 54kg.

In New Zealand, Asturia returns to the course and distance of her debut victory for the NZ$175,000 Group 2 Windsor Park Stud Soliloquy Stakes over 1400 metres at Ellerslie.

The Almanzor filly out of Kay’s Legacy made a smart start to her career when winning against more experienced three-year-olds at Ellerslie in September. Purchased by Sir David Ellis at the Karaka Book 1 Sale, she races for the Te Akau Legacy of Love Racing Partnership.

Asturia caught the eye in Tuesday’s Matamata trackwork alongside Bolli Belle. Michael McNab, who partnered her to that debut success, takes the ride on Saturday from barrier eight, with 56.5kg allocated.

With two established Group 1 winners and two fillies seeking their first stakes' victories, Saturday brings plenty to look forward to for our owners and teams in New Zealand and Australia. Best of luck to the connections of Lara Antipova, Geegees Mistruth, I Am Aria and Asturia as another exciting Spring weekend gets underway.