Horse racing: Aussie plans shelved as La Crique looks to home

Comeback mare La Crique looks odd-on in big sprint. Photo / Race Images

Class mare La Crique could have her Australian autumn campaign delayed causing a change of target that won’t thrill the local trainers of weight-for-age gallopers.

Because after her brave second in the $300,000 El Cheapo Cars Classic at Otaki on Saturday the Matamata mare could well step up in distance for the $320,000 Bonecrusher Stakes at Pukekohe on Saturday week.

Many of New Zealand’s better female gallopers are either on their way to Australia or their connections have future aspirations to take them there, with Mustang Valley already in Sydney, Imperatriz heading there this week and Legarto off to Melbourne for the Australian Guineas on Saturday.

Next month they could be joined by the likes of Prowess, depending on how she performs in Saturday’s $1million New Zealand Derby, while fellow three-year-old filly Polygon is definitely heading to New South Wales.

But while the connections of La Crique are also keen to get her back to Australia they can’t find a suitable race in the next six weeks so might make the far shorter trip to Pukekohe on Saturday week.

Trainers Katrina and Simon Alexander were thrilled with La Crique’s tenacity in defeat behind Levante on Saturday, having made it clear before the race they thought she was looking to step up to 2000m soon.

Their problem is there are no suitable 2000m mares’ races at the Sydney carnival they were initially looking at so she might be forced to bide her time at home, with the Bonecrusher NZ Stakes a tasty Group 1 to keep her ticking over.

“We thought there would probably be a 2000m race that suited her in Sydney but there really isn’t,” says Simon Alexander.

“And if we aim her at a open weight-for-age 2000m like the Ranvet Stakes you could end up against the absolute top males.

“So we are thinking her most suitable targets may be in Queensland a little bit later.”

With La Crique fit and ready to race but no plane tickets booked the Alexanders and the four-year-old’s owners have the option of looking at the last Group 1 open weight-for-age race of the season, the $320,000 Bonecrusher at Pukekohe’s Auckland Cup day meeting.

It is the next step on the middle distance Group 1 calender and follows on from the Herbie Dyke at Te Rapa on February 11 but the three-year-olds who were first and third home there, Sharp N Smart and Wild Night, not going to the Bonecrusher.

That still leaves the much-improved Campionessa and Zabeel Classic winner Defibrillate, who was a courageous fourth in the Herbie Dyke, heading to the Bonecrusher along with Asterix and most likely He’s a Doozy.

While they are all quality horses and three of them are Group 1 winners, without the three-year-olds and Mustang Valley, Aegon and even Levante the Bonecrusher looks a perfect target for La Crique.

“We are thinking about it now,” admitted Simon Alexander.

“Like always after a race we get her home, trot her up after a day or two and try and work out with the owners what is best for the horse.

“But with nothing in Sydney ideal, if we are going to be here for a bit longer then the Bonecrusher could work. So I’d say that decision will be made later this week.”

While La Crique won a Group 1 over 1600m in the spring she was electrifying over 2100m in the Avondale Guineas last season and a gutsy second in the NZ Derby so should be even more potent up to 2050m if she makes it to Pukekohe .

This week Kiwi fans have the $1 million Derby at Te Rapa, the field is finalised on Wednesday morning, and Imperatriz and Legarto in Sydney and Melbourne with ex-pats James McDonald and Mick Dee respectively on board.