Joe Pride is hoping that multiple stakes winner Lekvarte can retire as a Group 1 winner in Saturday’s Group 1 Queen Of The Turf Stakes (1600m) at Randwick.
The six-year-old, who won the Group 2 Emancipation Stakes (1500m) on a heavy track last start, is set to be auctioned as a breeding prospect at the upcoming Inglis Chairman’s Sale.
Pride expressed his surprise at the mare’s performance in the wet conditions at Rosehill on April 1.
“It was weird. I’m not sure what to put that down to, but she was good,” Pride explained.
“She’s an older mare who felt like running really well, I think, and normally when she hits form she holds it.
“It’s another level up for her to go into a Group 1, but she has been in a couple and always ran well, and she loves the Randwick mile.
“She’s won three times over it, including some black-type races.”
Lekvarte’s three wins over the course and distance include two Group victories in the Group 3 Angst Stakes (1600m) and Group 3 Aspiration Quality (1600m) last year.
Stablemate Sounds Of Heaven will also line up, and Pride believes she can improve on her last-start second in the Group 3 Epona Stakes (1900m) at Rosehill.
“We haven’t seen the best of her yet,” he said. “She has to step up in grade, but she is pretty capable. She is a nice mare and she’ll run well.”
Horse racing news
