Troy Leggett (Race Images)
Last season’s Gr.1 Auckland Cup (3200m) winner Ladies First will continue on a path towards the Gr.1 Sydney Cup (3200m) despite finishing tenth in the Gr.1 Haunui Farm WFA Group One Classic (1600m) at Otaki on Saturday.
“It was a pass mark (the run),” trainer Allan Sharrock said.
“We are happy the way we are tracking. She looks really well. She went super first up (when sixth in the Listed Wairarapa Thoroughbred Breeders’ Stakes (1600m)) and they often throw in one like that, so I’m not too worried at this stage.
Ladies First will have one further start in New Zealand, the Gr.1 Bonecrusher New Zealand Stakes (2000m), before heading across the Tasman to contest the Gr.2 Chairman’s Quality (2600m) at Randwick.
“She’ll now go to the 2000m race at Ellerslie at weight-for-age, through that into the Chairman’s and then a week later the Sydney Cup,” Sharrock said.