Race Images Palmerston North
Lightly-raced mare Euphoria is likely to make one more appearance before she heads to Christchurch.
Trainer Rachael Frost has set the Rip Van Winkle four-year-old for the Gr.3 Valachi Downs Canterbury Breeders’ Stakes (1400m) on the middle day of next month’s New Zealand Cup carnival.
Euphoria opened her campaign with a first-up success at New Plymouth, the third of her six-start career, and an outing at the rescheduled Hawke’s Bay meeting on October 22 is next on her programme.
“She’ll run in a Rating 75 over 1400m and she probably won’t run again before the Breeders’ Stakes,” Frost said.
It will be Euphoria’s second southern sojourn and connections are hoping for a turn-around in their fortunes after the disappointment of last spring.
“She won at Motukarara, but then she suffered a stress fracture to her tibia before the 1000 Guineas,” Frost said.
Following a lengthy recovery period, Euphoria travelled to Brisbane for the Queensland winter carnival only for a virus to force her return home after a sixth placing at Ipswich.
“Hopefully, all her problems are behind her - she’s well above average,” Frost said. – NZ Racing Desk.