Racing: Double-barrelled attack at Te Aroha

Waikato jockey Michael Walker will be riding at Te Aroha on Saturday, despite being stood down for his final few rides at the Taranaki meeting at Waverley yesterday.

Walker was feeling the effects of a dislocated thumb, an injury he sustained at the weekend.

Late yesterday, Walker and his manager Hugh Crawford believed Walker would be riding one of Lee Freedman's two runners in Saturday's $200,000 New Zealand Bloodstock Thoroughbred Breeders, but not necessarily Dane Julia on whom he won the group one event last year.

Freedman has also sent stablemate Emblem Of Liberty over for the race.

But at the close of business, Walker appeared on New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing's website as the rider of Dane Julia and Chad Ormsby was declared for Emblem Of Liberty.

It was thought Lee Freedman had declared the riders from Australia.

Like Dane Julia, Emblem Of Liberty was bought out of South Africa as a made racehorse.

She has had only four Australian starts, but has sparkling South African form, in fact, better form in her homeland than Dane Julia.

Before heading to Australia, Emblem Of Liberty won a group two race at Turffontein in December 2008, then won a group one at Kenilworth on January 10 last year and in her final South African start finished third in another Kenilworth group one.

She had her first Australian start when seventh in the Tristarc Stakes at Caulfield on October 17 before a 10th in the group one Myer Classic, then showed she was starting to acclimatise with a fifth at group three level at Flemington on March 13 and a fifth in a mares' handicap last start.

Both Australian mares have settled in well at Tony Pike's Cambridge stable following their flight to New Zealand.

The pair were expected to produce a solid piece of work this morning.

Dane Julia has been in at least the same form as before heading to New Zealand to win last year's Breeders Stakes.

Last year, she finished eighth in the group three Matron Stakes, third in the group three Mannerism and 12th in the group one Myer Classic.

Little could be gleaned of her form by her 5.9 lengths 10th to Alverta in the group one Coolmore Stakes last start, but the time before she won the listed Wiggle Stakes at Warwick Farm.

It won't be easy for the Australians, class act Culminate was stunning in carrying weight to easily beat a much easier field when not fully fit at Te Rapa last start and her stablemate Boundless, Veloce Bella, Casabella Lane and Obsession will provide plenty of opposition in a race that should be a cracker.

BREEDERS STAKES
* Melbourne trainer Lee Freedman is, this time, sending two mares for an attempt at group one glory.
* They are last year's Breeders Stakes winner Dane Julia and Emblem Of Liberty.
* Michael Walker will be seeking a double aboard Dane Julia, while Chad Ormsby will ride Emblem Of Liberty.