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2023 03 23

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Kiwi flavour to ignite the 3 Point Motors William Reid Stakes

There will be a strong hint of New Zealand scent in this year’s Group 1 3 Point Motors William Reid Stakes, as two of the fastest horses from across the ditch cross swords once again, this time on away soil for the first time. Racing giant Te Akau can be considered New Zealand's equivalent of Godolphin, with horses like Melody Belle, Te Akau Shark and Probabeel just some of the superstar thoroughbreds who have successfully conquered the Trans-Tasman campaign in recent years. Their newest kid on the block is an I Am Invincible mare named Imperatriz, four times a Group 1 winner, and an agonisingly close runner-up when beaten by globetrotting colt Artorius in the Canterbury Stakes last start.&nbsp; Imperatriz boasts an incredible record of 18 starts for 12 wins and three placings, and if you drill down even further into her form, she has only been defeated once on dry ground from nine attempts. Her 4.5 length demolition victory in the Group 1 BCD Group Sprint announced herself as the best horse in New Zealand two starts back, and while she was defeated last start, the form out of the race has since stood up with Artorius and Converge not beaten far by Anamoe in the Chipping Norton Stakes, while Cascadian was a fast-finishing 2nd to Mr Brightside in the Sharp EIT All-Star Mile.&nbsp; Imperatriz is being kept very safe in pre-post markets for the 3 Point Motors William Reid Stakes, currently a firm $2.50 favourite in Ladbrokes All In betting. Travelling with the mare down under is Stable Foreman &amp; Senior Track Work Rider Hunter Durrant, who partnered her in a gallop at The Valley on Monday morning. “I think she’s right up there (with the best Te Akau have had) and hopefully Friday night can show it,” Durrant said. “Believe it or not, she was actually one of the last horses for us to sell shares in that year (2020), and she’s turned out to be this brilliant mare. “On raceday, her turn of foot, if you can hold her up for as long as possible, is devastating.”&nbsp; New Zealand champion rider Opie Bosson will fly to Melbourne on Thursday to partner his favourite horse and will stay on Saturday to ride Campionessa in the Australian Cup. The New Zealand counterpart to Imperatriz is another Australian-bred mare named Babylon Berlin. The bold-running chestnut impressed at The Valley on Monday, towing Freddie Kersley around in a piece of work that saw her pull away from intriguing import A Case Of You. Her most recent performance in New Zealand was a 7-length victory in inferior company, but she does have a body of work around Imperatriz and Levante and will be on speed around The Valley if she gets a kind draw. The five-year-old is a seven time winner from 23 starts, and has only missed the money on four occasions – one of those coming when she unfortunately dropped the rider coming out of the gates.&nbsp; Unlike Imperatriz, her expectations this Friday night aren’t as high, currently a $15 outsider in Ladbrokes betting, however, you only have to look at her page to realise that quote could possibly be over the odds. Compared to the Te Akau mare, she is more the out and out sprinter, and will be ridden by tactical genius Blake Shinn on Friday night, who looks like being one of the leading chances to win the Victorian Metropolitan Jockey Premiership this season.&nbsp; Trainer Ben Foote was on RSN radio on Tuesday morning and some of the commentary around the rivalry certainly fueled some great debate. “Everything’s gone super actually. She travelled over really well, eating well and looks a treat,” Foote said. “That’s what gives me a little bit of confidence. Imperatriz being favourite, on a track I feel we can beat Imperatriz on if we’re in the right form.” “I guess you’d say Imperatriz would probably be $2 and she’d be $5 maybe (if this race was run in New Zealand.) But I don’t know the form of the rest of the field too well.” It's game on this Friday night at The Valley, and no doubt the most interesting development leading into the race is the battle between the two star Kiwi mares. &nbsp;

Kiwi flavour to ignite the 3 Point Motors William Reid Stakes | The Valley

Kiwi flavour to ignite the 3 Point Motors William Reid Stakes

Kiwi flavour to ignite the 3 Point Motors William Reid Stakes | The Valley