Racing: On song for swansong

Well-performed weight-for-age mare Lashed will attempt to sign off her racing career on a winning note at Te Rapa next Saturday.

Lashed is likely to be retired from racing after contesting the $100,000 (Group One) Whakanui Stud International Stakes - an event she won last year.

Co-trainer Stephen Autridge is confident Lashed has hit form at the right time.

"I was really happy with the way Lashed hit the finishing line last Saturday at Trentham when finishing third behind Maroofity and Zvezda in the Thorndon Mile," said Autridge.

"Last year she finished fourth in the Thorndon Mile and came out two weeks later and won the Whakanui Stud International Stakes and she looks to be in very good order at the moment.

"She has been tested twice already this season to see if she has got into foal and the plan at this stage is to test her again after racing at Te Rapa and retire her to stud.

"If for some reason the test comes back negative she'll have one more race start at Ellerslie in a weight-for-age event and Sir Patrick [Hogan, part-owner] will retire her from racing."

Lashed has a relaxed style as she tends to sit off the pace and produce a blistering sprint over the closing 400 metres of a race.

The sit-sprint mare came from well off the pace to gun down Penny Gem in the event last year.

The Autridge-Rogerson stable will also be represented by three-year-old front running speed machine Keeninsky in the $100,000 (Group One) Waikato Draught Sprint.

Keeninsky was in devastating form in his last start when he led throughout to score a commanding victory in the Telegraph Handicap at Trentham (1200 metres).

Autridge is not concerned about the jump up in distance from 1200 to 1400 metres in the weight-for-age event.

"Watching him work on Thursday made me realise how spot-on I have got this horse for his upcoming assignments at Te Rapa and in Melbourne.

"Weight-for-age racing means he will get into the race at Te Rapa with no weight on his back and, as long as he draws well, I think he'll prove tough to catch.

"After the Te Rapa race he will join Graeme's [Rogerson] stable in Melbourne and have two race starts over 1100 and 1200 metres.

"He's a natural athlete to train and cruises on the speed and he has the ability to quicken at any point of a race."

- HERALD ON SUNDAY