Courage is All In Vogue's chief attack weapon, according to the last-start Wanganui Cup winner's jockey Leah Hemi.
She had her first ride aboard the Kevin Gray-trained Pins mare at Wanganui and couldn't have been more impressed.
"She's a really smart mare," the 31-year-old Palmerston North jockey said. "She's quitegutsy, very tough. She's not very big, but she's got a huge heart,"
A winner of six of her 27 starts, as well as finishing second in the Listed New Zealand St Leger (2500m), All In Vogue tackles tomorrow's Manawatu Cup (2100m) at Awapuni, carrying 2kg more than she did in her first stakes success in the Wanganui Cup.
"She's beaten some really nice horses at Wanganui, the likes of Blathwayt, and halfway up the straight I thought she was only going to run fourth but she really dug deep," Hemi said.
"She didn't have everything go right for her that day so you'd think she'd really improve off that run too. I haven't ridden her since but they've told me she's come through that run really well and they are expecting her to go well again this weekend.
"She's carrying a couple of kilos more so it won't be easy, especially because Blathwayt hasn't gone up in weight. It's a nice field but I'm expecting that her courage will make her competitive."
TAB bookmakers have opened All In Vogue as a $6.50 third favourite for the Manawatu Cup in a market headed by Boxachocolates at $4.20 and Clarify at $5.20.
