Mark Walker’s star Kiwi mare Imperatriz is tipped to make a big impression in her first start down under heading markets for the Group 1 $600,000 Canterbury Stakes (1300m) at Randwick on Saturday.
Group 1 winning Kiwi mare Imperatriz makes her down under debut in Saturday’s 2023 Canterbury Stakes field. Photo: Race Images – Kenton Wright.
Royal Randwick is host to two elite level races on Randwick Guineas Day including the weight-for-age Canterbury Stakes which has drawn a class field of 11 hopefuls.
Heading Canterbury Stakes betting online at Ladbrokes is the ultra-consistent I Am Invincible mare Imperatriz from New Zealand.
She has won 12 of her 17 starts to date including four Group 1 races across the Tasman.
At her latest she was a 4.5 length runaway winner over 1400m at elite level on February 11.
The mare is now out to frank that form in Australia and jumps from barrier seven with champion hoop James McDonald booked for the ride in a big plus.
Mares have won the past two editions of the Canterbury Stakes with Mizzy (2021) and Forbidden Love (2022) and Imperatriz is odds-on at $1.85 and firming to be the next.
Two of her rivals are also at single-figures with the returning Anthony & Sam Freedman-trained 2021 Blue Diamond winner Artorius ($6.50) back down under off an impressive campaign overseas and the spring’s Caulfield Guineas winner Golden Mile ($7).
Zac Purton partners the worldly Flying Artie four-year-old Artorius who was good when third in both the Group 1 Platinum Jubilee Stakes (1207m) at Ascot and the Group 1 July Cup (1207m) at Newmarket in the UK last June – July.
At his latest start he finished under three lengths sixth to Highfield Princess in a Group 1 in France over 1300m and he will appreciate racing fresh back home off a winning Warwick Farm trial.
“It will be a hot Canterbury Stakes but we’re a live chance and we’ve got Zac Purton coming down to ride him,” part-owner Henry Field from Newgate Farm told RS NewsWire this week.
“The New Zealand horse has been entered and I think that will add a big dimension.
“It’s probably the highest rated New Zealand horse to come over here for a long time.”
Looking further ahead and a good run on Saturday will see Artorius continue towards April’s Group 1 $3 million TJ Smith Stakes (1200m).
The James Cummings-trained Astern colt Golden Mile meanwhile has the fitness edge here having kicked off his autumn with a second behind Mariamia in the Group 2 Expressway Stakes (1200m) at Rosehill in late January.
He has had one previous run at Randwick when backing-up from his Group 1 Caulfield Guineas success over the mile in Melbourne to win the Group 2 Callander-Presnell (1600m) here last October.
The 2023 Canterbury Stakes is scheduled as Randwick Race 7 at 4:00pm (AEDT) on Saturday.
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