Racing: Imperatriz bogged down at Randwick; Move To Strike shines at Trentham

Move To Strike wins at Trentham Photo / Race Images

The Kiwi challenge got bogged down in the Sydney mud at Randwick with superstar mare Imperatriz unplaced in the A$3 million T J Smith Stakes.

The darling of New Zealand racing could only manage a slightly luckless fourth in her last huge Group 1 sprinting assignment of a stellar season, the other Kiwi-owned big name I Wish I Win slightly bettering her in third.

I Wish I Win’s trainer Peter Moody and Katherine Coleman also provided the upset winner in Chain Of Lightning, who cut the corner on the heavy track to stun punters, just holding out the late lunging Bella Nipotina.

Imperatriz had a great sit handy to the pace although had a setback when she was squeezed out of a gap briefly at the 400m. She still got out in enough time to win but had lost momentum.

She tried hard and was pegging back the winner but it was obvious she lacked the acceleration that has been a trademark of her wins at The Valley in Victoria, with the heavy track blunting her sting.

The entire Randwick meeting was lucky to go ahead after the course was hit with 170mm of rain in the 24 hours before stewards decided to proceed after scratchings time at 7.30am.

They made the right call as the sun came out and while the track was testing, it was fair for racing.

But that didn’t help Imperatriz who will now head home to New Zealand for a spell, no real damage done to her reputation because of the very holding conditions.

There was better news for her trainers Mark Walker and Sam Bergerson and syndicating owners Te Akau at Trentham when Move To Strike staged a dramatic and lucrative return to form in the $450,00 Sires’ Produce Stakes.

The son of I Am Invincible had looked a star when winning on debut but his season was derailed by an atrial fibrillation in a race at Matamata in February that threatened to send him to the spelling paddock.

Instead, he stormed home to win the Group 1 2-year-old race for one of the biggest wins of jockey Wiremu Pinn’s career.

Bergerson was beaming as he greeted the horse after the race.

“We’ve always thought the world of him as he has always been a very lovely horse,” he said.

“He paraded lovely today, and Bill [Pinn] was very patient on him as we thought we would have to be neutral in midfield early on with his wider barrier draw.

“He was very good late and although he did have that blip with his heart at Matamata, we were really happy with him since he is a top-quality colt.

“We had run an ECG test and given him a slow build-up before trialling him after that issue. Opie [Bosson] rode him and gave him the tick of approval and his trackwork on Tuesday was top-notch.

“We were going in quietly confident although respectful of the other runners, but he is a very good colt and he showed that today.”

Pinn was also rapt with the winning performance.

“He travelled really well, but he doesn’t breathe that well, so I just wanted to keep him relaxed,” he said.

“He has a great turn of foot and is a superstar I think, and next time in I think he can win Group 1 after Group 1 as he has such a good attitude and an electric turn of foot.

“I would like to thank Te Akau Racing for the opportunities they are giving me and after missing most of the major racing through being suspended I’m just relieved to get it done today.”

- with NZ Racing Desk.