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Waikaha only needs her fair share of luck at Tauherenikau on Friday to return to winning form.
The rub of the green has gone against the talented mare this campaign and the Listed Wairarapa Thoroughbred Breeders’ Stakes will provide her with an ideal opportunity to strengthen her upcoming Group One prospects.
“She’s been working well and we’re sure she’ll go a good race,” said Emma Haworth, who trains Waikaha in partnership with her father David.“The threat looks to be Moozoon, but we’re happy with our mare.”
The winner of three of her 10 starts, Waikaha was a solid fourth in the Gr.2 Coupland’s Bakeries Mile from a wide barrier before she was hemmed in all the way down the straight when unplaced in the Gr.3 Manawatu Challenge Stakes.She then headed north to Ellerslie, as a forerunner of a future target, to finish sixth in the Gr.2 Rich Hill Mile and last time out she was narrowly denied by Kawi in the Listed Anniversary Handicap at Trentham.
“She went a really good race at Riccarton and she was strong in the Rich Hill Mile going the reverse way for the first time,” Haworth said.“She certainly didn’t disgrace herself and she’ll be all the better for the experience.”
After Tauherenikau, Waikaha is likely to take in a race at Otaki before she heads north again, most likely for the Gr.1 New Zealand Stakes at Ellerslie on March 7.The 2000 metre distance of the weight-for-age contest is expected to be tailor-made for the daughter of Towkay.
“We think she’ll handle the step up in distance well, she’s always finishing off her races strongly,” Haworth said.