Racing: Top mare bows out

Lady Le Fay. Photo / Trish Dunell

Lady Le Fay will have an opportunity to sign off in perfect style at Ellerslie today.

The Thorn Park 6-year-old is now with Cambridge trainer Tony Pike after a period in Australia and she will attempt to end her career on a winning group one note.

"She'll run in the Zabeel Classic " she's in foal to Smart Missile and that will be her last race," Pike said.

"We're just keeping her ticking over after she arrived here from Chris Waller's stable reasonably fit."

Lady Le Fay began her career with Paul and Kris Shailer and she was a multiple winner, including a 2015 success in the Listed Anzac Handicap at Awapuni, after which she transferred to Waller's Sydney operation.

She won an open handicap at Rosehill, placed in the group three Angst Stakes and in the listed Lord Mayor's Cup, with a sixth placing in her final Australian outing in the listed ATC Cup.

"She last raced on December 6 and I think she was a bit unlucky in her last few starts for Chris," Pike said.

"It's hard to compare the form, but I think she's been going well enough to be competitive in the Zabeel."

The stable also has eyes on the main handicap prize at Ellerslie on New Year's Day with the improving Jiayuguan in the group three Laser Plumbing Te Puke City of Auckland Cup.

"She's going well and she just got caught a bit flat-footed at Te Rapa when they sprinted on the corner before she got going again," Pike said.

Jiayuguan ran fifth in the Waikato Cup after finishing third in the group three Counties Cup at her previous appearance.

- NZ Racing Desk.