Fresh off being inducted into the New Zealand Racing Hall of Fame on Friday night, trainer Murray Baker celebrated another top-flight victory with Lizzie L'Amour (NZ) (Zabeel {NZ}), who saluted in the NZ$400,000 G1 Herbie Dyke S. at Te Rapa on Saturday.
Favoured for the 2000-metre event, the bay exited stall six well and secured position in a relaxed fourth as stablemate Nicoletta (NZ) (Savabeel {Aus}) set out on a loose lead. She crept steadily closer to the head of affairs past the 600 metres and took dead aim on the frontrunner 400 metres from home. Given a couple of righthanders from Matthew Cameron, Lizzie L'Amour stormed clear to win by 5 1/2 lengths over the rallying Wildflower (NZ) (Keeper {Aus}). Nicoletta hung gamely on for third another 3/4 lengths back.
“She's flying at the moment and she won that pretty easily,” Baker, who trains with Andrew Forsman and also trains the third-place finisher Nicoletta, told www.nzracing.co.nz. “She's been right in form ever since she came back from Australia, things just didn't work out for her there. She has a nomination for the Auckland Cup, but I think she'll go to the [Mar. 10 G1] Bonecrusher instead. “We'll put in a nomination for the [G1] Queen Elizabeth [S. at Randwick on Apr. 14] in Sydney and see how long she holds up–she's certainly in great touch at the moment.”
A winner of the G1 Bonecrusher S. last March, Lizzie L'Amour failed to hit the board in four Australian starts, but returned to her native land with a victory in the G2 Cal Isuzu S. here on Dec. 16. She was runner-up in both the Dec. 26 G1 Zabeel Classic and G2 Westbury Classic on Jan. 27.
Pedigree Insights…
Lizzie L'Amour is a half-sister to the dam of MSP Al Shameel (NZ) (Zabeel {NZ}), who was third in the Tasmanian Derby. Second dam Remote Romance (Irish River {Fr}), a half-sister to European highweight Chimes of Freedom (Private Account), and GISW Denon (Pleasant Colony), also produced Italian highweight Saddex (GB) (Sadler's Wells), a MG1SW. Sabia's latest produce is a weanling filly by Makfi (GB). Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
Saturday, Te Rapa, New Zealand
HERBIE DYKE S.-G1, NZ$400,000 (US$290,227/£209,888/€236,854), Waikato RC, 2-10, Open, WFA, 2000mT, 2:04.75, Slow.
1–LIZZIE L'AMOUR, 57.0, m, 5, by Zabeel
1st Dam: Sabia (Fr), by Sadler's Wells (USA)
2nd Dam: Remote Romance (USA), by Irish River (Fr)
3rd Dam: Aviance (Ire), by Northfields (USA)
O-G J & Mrs L M Moore; B-Mrs L M Moore (NZ); T-M Baker &
A Forsman; J-M Cameron; NZ$240,000. Lifetime Record:
19-7-3-1, A$546,912. Werk Nick Rating: C+. Click for the
eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Wildflower, 57.0, m, 5, Keeper (Aus)–Zygadene, by Zabeel.
O-Sir Peter Vela; B-P J & P M Vela Ltd (NZ); T-G Richardson & G
Parker; J-M J Mc Nab; NZ$76,000.
3–Nicoletta, 57.0, m, 4, Savabeel (Aus)–Celtic Crown (USA), by
Doneraile Court (USA). (NZ$90,000 Ylg 2015 NZB National
Yearling Sale). O-Jml Bloodstock Ltd (Mgr L Petagna);
B-Goodwood Stud Ltd (NZ); T-M Baker & A Forsman; J-R
Hutchings; NZ$38,000.
Margins: 5HF, 3/4, 1 3/4. Odds: 1.20, 9.30, 19.00.
Also Ran: Rangipo (Aus), Savvy Dreams, Promise to Reign (Aus), Watch This Space, Wait a Sec, Coldplay, Gentil Tonton (Ire).
Click for the Racing Post chart. New Zealand Racing Video.
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