La Crique. Photo / Race Images
Outstanding race mare La Crique will make her first appearance since finishing fourth in the Group 1 Empire Rose at Flemington on October 29, when she has an exhibition gallop between races at Pukekohe on Sunday.
That will provide trainers Katrina and Simon Alexander with an idea of how forward the special mare is as she aims at a possible return in the $300,000 Thorndon Mile at Trentham on January 28, for which she is the $4 favourite.
“She is coming up really well and looks strong and round, although that will trim off with this weekend and a trial,” says Katrina Alexander.
“We are more taking her to Pukekohe on Sunday, if the track is okay, for a trip away and to get her ticking over again.
“She only had three weeks off after Melbourne and has had a couple of easy gallops so we will have the trip away on Sunday and then a trial at Tauranga on January 17.
“If we are happy with her in both of those, particularly the trial, then the intention is to go into the Thorndon fresh-up.
“If we have any concerns, and we realise a mile fresh-up isn’t easy, then we have the option of changing direction and maybe going into the BCD Sprint at Te Rapa [February 11] as her first run back.”
The Alexanders are almost spoilt for choice with La Crique as she could be competitive at Group 1 level here from 1400 metres up to 2100m, a fact she demonstrated with a stunning demolition job in the Avondale Guineas over 2100m last February.
If La Crique starts in the Thorndon on January 28 and wins, it is not impossible she could run in the $450,000 Herbie Dyke over 2000m at Te Rapa two weeks later.
“It would be unlikely because of the travel to Trentham butshe might be tried back up to the 2000m this campaign, with a race like the Bonecrusher Stakes [Pukekohe, March 11] another option,” Alexander said.
“But we also have races like the Group 1 Mile at Ōtaki in mid-February so we have plenty of potential targets and of course Australia to think about.”
Whether La Crique heads to Australia will depend on her early form here but Alexander says her connections may not want to overly tax her this summer and into the autumn, as they would like her to be spelling early enough to give her a full range of spring options.
While La Crique is likely but not certain to head to the Thorndon, the futures betting second-favourite Coventina Bay is definitely heading there as well as the Group 1 Telegraph on Saturday week, even though trainer Robbie Patterson believes he can’t win the latter.
“The Telegraph works in perfectly as a lead-up race for the Thorndon and while we’d love to win it, even a third in a Group 1 sprint would be awesome.
“It is all about getting her ready for the Thorndon.”
Coventina Bay was found to have a slight virus after her last-start second at Trentham so was given a week off and will have a jumpout at Stratford next Tuesday to get her ready for the $300,000 Telegraph.
“I know we may not be able to beat a mare like Levante over 1200m at her best but the weather forecast isn’t great and if the track comes up wet that could suit us a lot better than some of them.”
Coventina Bay is now the $6 fourth favourite for the Telegraph and $5 second favourite for the Thorndon.