Former top filly Tupelo Rose is to return to New Zealand for feature races in March.
South Auckland bloodstock agent John Curtin, who co-owns Tupelo Rose with Americans Marc Hanover and Gordon Banks, said the In The Pocket mare would contest the $75,000 Taylor Mile on March 23 and the $75,000 New Zealand Messenger Championship, a week later, at Auckland.
There is also a chance Tupelo Rose could be back in Christchurch for the $25,000 New Zealand Premier Mares' Championship on March 9 and the $75,000 Breeders' Stakes on March 15.
"At this stage the plan is that she will definitely be in Auckland for the Taylor Mile and the Messenger Championship, but her lead-up racing is not so clear," Curtin said.
If Tupelo Rose does not start in the $A200,000 Chariots Of Fire in Sydney on March 9, then there was every chance she would come to New Zealand a little earlier, to take in the two mares' races in Christchurch.
Tupelo Rose furthered a consistent form line in her four-year-old racing for Victorian trainer Ted Demmler when third to outsider Bancoora Next, and Cee New York, at Moonee Valley in Melbourne last Saturday night.
She set a mile rate record of one minute 55.2 seconds over 1700m at Auckland last season.
- NZPA
Racing: Tupelo Rose to tackle Taylor, Messenger
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