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De Lovely is a very beautifull filly with a great turn of foot to watch, but to be honest to enter her in the inters is a stupid move. Don't get me wrong i'd like to see her win the inters 1 day but i'd season her a bit more as a 4yr old and then have a go as a 5yr old. Thats just my opinion anyway.
I agree Mango the inters is a little optimistic in my opinion, if I were the owners I would be targeting all the mares races and if she cleans up there I would be taking on the boys in 4yo features like the Messenger and Taylor Mile before the Jewels. In saying that Mainland Banner won the NZ Cup as a 4yo and was very inexperienced!
I hope and I really think she is beyond mares racing fingers crossed she's another Blossom Lady, Tailamade Lombo in the making. As with the Inters if its a 2 heat point fest and a final I don't think it would hurt her as the races are spread out and 4yld racing isn't that easy either these days.
To be honest she will have her guts torn out by the like's of Smoken Up, Blacks A Fake, Mr Feelgood, Monkey King and others, these are seasoned horse's who can run fast time's over the longer trip. If she had the sit behind the leader she might go ok but there's no sure thing she would get to be behind the leader. Don't get me wrong i do like the mare and i do think she is something special and i do hope she can turn out to be just as good as Blossom Lady/Tailamade Lombo but i do think taking on the big guns should be left for another year. By then Blackie might of retired, Mr Feelgood gone to stud and Monkey King and Smoken Up aren't getting any younger so that would live an opening for a couple to step up into there spots and i do believe she could be one of them.
I think she would only be used as a sit sprinter with a good cosey trips big open track she can pop a 26 quarter the only thing against her to me is she hasnt been tested and until the day this happens you wont know if she will fight on or dog it with a broken heart. I still say it wont be any easier racing Smiling Shard, Sir Lincoln, Courage To Rule and the like theres a good crop of 4yld in NZ plus the stable knows about big time racing.
I agree it is a great crop of 4yo's but there is a big difference between 4yo racing and racing the best open class pacers in Australasia like Mango has said. I cannot remember the last 4yo to win an interdominion and wouldn't think a 4yo mare would have ever won it. You have to remember she is also a NHT bred horse and she will always have next year. i just think racing the 4yo boys would be a good step up for her without breaking her.
Believe me in not in total disagreement with you guys but next year is in Perth 3 heats and a final in 2 weeks (old school) this is a chance to race in your back yard without to much disturbance to the mares daily routine plus 2 heats and a final in 2 weeks. The total racing handbook has gone out the window in the last several year’s people are not so guarded about bringing their horses along slowly anymore
if de lovely can become close to what blossom lady was in her prime, then the boys have a big battle on their grand circuit hands..
I was watching Trackside yesterday,i think it was...and i'm fairly certain that i heard Greg O'Connor say that De Lovely is coming here to Blenheim to race in the 4yr old Pelorus Classic for $50k in a few weeks.If that's true then it will be a massive race...as Choise Achiever is headed that way,and he is just flying at the moment..and their were one or two other nice 4yr olds going for that race.Should be a bumper crowd on course for that clash.
and Franco Emirate so you are right - will be an awesome race