Impendabelle came ever so close to picking up a maiden Group One crown at Riccarton last November, and Tony Pike is hoping the filly can go one better in Saturday’s Group 1 Levin Classic (1600m).
Excusing her last-start seventh behind Pendragon in the Group 2 Auckland Guineas (1400m) on Boxing Day, the daughter of Impending has been ultra-consistent through her three-year-old campaign and was only caught by Molly Bloom in the final strides of the Group 1 New Zealand 1000 Guineas (1600m) the start prior.
With Group Two victories in the Soliloquy Stakes (1400m) and the Wakefield Challenge Stakes (1100m) already to her credit, Impendabelle heads into the Trentham three-year-old feature an ominous chance as an +900 equal fifth-favourite, with Mary Shan topping the Futures market with horse racing betting sites at +250.
“She’s probably a little bit the forgotten about horse, she’s in great form and she’s proven at Group One level. I think she can run extremely well on Saturday,” Pike said.
“She’s bounced through the Auckland Guineas really well. It probably wasn’t Kozzi’s (Asano, jockey) best work up there, she got a long way back which wasn’t ideal, and went to that slower inside part of the track, but her closing sectionals were some of the best in the race,” Pike said.
While several possible Levin Classic race rivals are heading straight to the Karaka Millions 3YO (1600m), Pike opted to give Impendabelle an opportunity for elite-level success at Trentham with a broodmare future in mind.
However, the Cambridge horseman hasn’t ruled out an appearance in the $1.5 million spectacle at Ellerslie a fortnight later.
“She’s a valuable filly and getting a Group One would continue to enhance that,” he said.
“She’s come through Pukekohe well and it probably wasn’t an overly hard run, so we’re hoping to get that Group One with her on Saturday and if she pulled up well we would possibly consider running in the Karaka Million 3YO two weeks’ later. That would be the end of her preparation.”
Pike’s stable will also be represented in the headline event on the card, with Not Guilty having her first top-flight start in the Group 1 Telegraph (1200m).
The five-year-old has proven to be somewhat of a straight-track specialist over recent campaigns, with multiple placings down the Trentham dogleg, including in the Listed Lightning Handicap (1200m) behind race-rival Maria Farina in March.
A daughter of Not A Single Doubt, Not Guilty broke her stakes-level bridesmaid’s streak with a classy Listed Pegasus Stakes (1000m) victory down the Riccarton chute in November, and heads into Saturday’s feature off the back of a fifth-placed run behind Imprevu at Pukekohe on Boxing Day.
“Her run at Pukekohe was probably better than the placing suggested,” Pike said.
“She went a long way back from the barrier draw, went to the inside, which was the slower part of the track, and made up really good ground late.”
Pike’s last triumph in the time-honoured Telegraph came in emphatic style with Sacred Star in 2015, and he has faith that Not Guilty can put in a strong bid when the mare contests the likes of Dragon Leap and Bonny Lass.
“She is proven down the straight at Trentham, obviously it is a step-up to Group One company, but she is a valuable mare who is very well-bred and has a stakes win to her name,” he said.
“She galloped really well at Ellerslie this morning and she definitely has the ability to at least gain a Group One placing, which would further enhance her broodmare value.”
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