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Genuine southern mare Sucre is one runner who hasn’t been inconvenienced by the abandonment of champion’s day at Wingatui last Saturday.
She had drawn a horror gate in the Gr.3 White Robe Lodge Handicap and in take two of the feature meeting on Friday she has come up with a much more acceptable barrier of eight.
“She’s ready to go and she won’t mind any more rain at all,” trainer and part-owner Sean Bellew said.“She drew 15 last weekend and the Good 3 track wouldn’t have been conducive to her.”
Sucre comes into the race with strong form credentials and four runs back she finished third in the Gr.3 Canterbury Breeders’ Stakes after stumbling at the start.The daughter of Ishiguru then won at Southland before she ran third in the Listed Timaru Cup and last time out she was runner-up to the speedy Valiant at Gore.
“She’s been placed at Group and Listed level and been the bridesmaid a few times, but she’s like an Eftpos machine,” Bellew said.Sucre has won 10 of her 34 starts and with a further 19 placings she has banked more than $165,000.
Bellew said the six-year-old may have one more outing, providing she comes through her Wingatui test well, before a break.“It’s eight days to Invercargill and she could run a nice 1200 metres there and then I’ll freshen her up and look for something in late March and April.”
The White Robe Lodge Handicap has now been renamed The White Robe Lodge Group III Handicap in Memory of Steven Anderton. There won’t be a dry eye in the house if The Diamond One successfully defends her title following the tragic passing of her trainer Steve Anderton on Tuesday with the mare now racing for the special partnership of Steve and his wife Claire on Friday.