Racing: Imelda Mary makes welcome return to winner's circle

Tegan Newman guides Imelda Mary to a welcome victory at Tauranga. Photo / Race Images

Former top three-year-old Imelda Mary made a welcome return to winning form when she won the feature event over 1400m at Tauranga.

The five-year-old Ferlax mare had last greeted the judge at the same venue last March and was coming in fresh after returning from an unsuccessful three-race campaign in Melbourne during the spring.

Trainer Wayne Hillis had been planning to test her fitness with an exhibition gallop at Taupo last Wednesday but when he saw some light nominations for the open 1400m, he decided to give her a race start instead.

That proved an inspired decision with Imelda Mary relishing the dead6 underfoot conditions as she took a rails run in the home straight for apprentice Tegan Newman before fighting off her five rivals in a slogging finish.

Hillis was relieved to see his charge back to somewhere near her best as he looks towards a start in the Karaka Cup (2200m) at Ellerslie later this month.

"It is brilliant to see her back like that," Hillis said. "She didn't really have a lot of luck in Australia as she struck two very heavy tracks which she didn't appreciate.

"I thought she didn't mind it wet but the jockeys who rode her said she just didn't cop it at all.

"I also think she is a lot better in the autumn, which a lot of mares can be, so maybe that played against her there as well. She came home in good order and looked brilliant before the start.

"[Saturday]'s race was really to see where she was at, as she's never won below 1600m before. When the noms were so light for the race I abandoned my plan to give her an exhibition gallop and decided to run around for some money instead.

"We're getting her ready for the Karaka Cup at Ellerslie, so we had to kick her off somewhere and this has worked out nicely."

The winner of the Group 2 Royal Stakes (2000m) and the Group 2 Sir Tristram Fillies Classic (2000m) as a three-year-old, Imelda Mary will look to add to her stakes success in the autumn.

"Safely through the Karaka Cup we'll probably have a look at some of the black-type races for the fillies and mares in the autumn," Hillis said.

"If she can get back to her best then she will be very competitive in those 2000m races around that time."

Imelda Mary has now won five of her 25 starts and more than $212,000 in prizemoney.

● Promising mare Les Crayeres completed a winning double when she won the opening event.

The Ken and Bev Kelso-trained four-year-old has now had four starts at the venue for two wins after breaking maidens there at her last start, with the promise of more to come from the impeccably-bred individual.

- NZ Racing Desk