New Zealand mares aim for glory at the Flemington and Rosehill races

It seems likely that girl power will be the center of attention at all major gatherings in New Zealand today.

At Flemington perhaps our best mare Orchestral has her spring final in the A$1 million Empire Rose, named after another great NZ mare, and she looks set to win if there is enough pace to let the divers into the race .

It’s taken longer than hoped to get started this spring, but co-trainer Roger James says she’s now right on track so that as long as the race isn’t dawdling and running, she can roar back to the fame of Trans Tasman.

One New Zealand girl facing an even tougher task is the filly Bellatrix Star in the A$2 million Coolmore Stud Stakes, a 1200m sprint down the Flemington straight that is worth millions to the future stallion of a colt if they win it.

In that regard, Bellatrix Star would be a party pooper for some of Australia’s richest owners if she were able to beat superstars like Growing Empire and Traffic Warden and although she has gone to new levels in each of her last three starts, is the current Group 1 is world class sprint stuff.

Also world-class, as you’d expect for the A$10 million stake, is the Golden Eagle at Rosehill in Sydney, with New Zealand mare Joliestar among the favourites.

She was late in the final start of Everest, suggesting the move to 1500m will suit her today, but she will have to settle more handily from barrier 11 in the huge field.

She also faces the unknown challenges of Japanese mare Ascoli Piceno and undefeated French gelding Lazzat, in what is a confusing but fascinating clash of racing jurisdictions.

Closer to home, La Crique, one of New Zealand’s top mares, keeps the girl power theme going as she returns to racing in the open 1300m in Tauranga, but she has to carry 60.5kg even after apprentice Ngakau Hailey 3 kg claims.

“It’s a big weight and she hasn’t been to the trials this campaign, so we’re not too confident about it,” said co-trainer Simon Alexander.

“She is very good in herself and works well, but she cannot be at her peak.

“And now that Te Rapa is canceled on Monday, this field of participants has become stronger and bigger than we expected.”

Favorite for that sprint is Navigator who wants to give superstar jockey Michael McNab a winning return to racing.

McNab has been sidelined for most of the past five months after a race at Te Rapa, just when he was likely to end up with a three-time jockey premiership title.

He is still undergoing physiotherapy for his back injury but is happy to be riding again and is looking forward to New Zealand Cup week starting next Saturday.

“I’m happy to be back and I think Navigator is my best chance,” says McNab.

Racing today

** Tauranga, first race 12.12

** Trentham, first race 12.26

** Rosehill, Golden Eagle Day, first race 2.10pm (NZ time)

** Flemington, Derby Day, first race 2.20pm (NZ time)

Michael Guerin wrote his first nationally published racing articles while still in school and began writing about horse racing and the gambling industry for the Herald in 1990 at the age of 20. He became the Herald’s Racing Editor in 1995, covering the world’s biggest horse racing events. racing carnivals.