Underrated mare Lady Telena showcased her impressive recent form with a commanding victory at Riccarton this past Saturday.
Trainer Kenny Moore, clearly surprised by the ease of her three-length triumph, remarked, “I expected a good run and was hopeful, but I didn’t expect her to win like that. She is a good mare with a powerful finish, and that was just awesome.”
While this win was part of a race designed to test potential contenders for the Group 3 New Zealand Cup on November 18th, Moore disclosed that Lady Telena, a daughter of Vespa, would be prepared for a different challenge at the upcoming three-day Riccarton Spring Carnival.
“The whole aim has been to get her ready for the Group Three race on the middle day at Riccarton, the Canterbury Breeders’ Stakes over 1400m,” he said.
“She will probably have one more run now and go out for a break then come back fresh for that one.”
Jockey Akshay Balloo was also impressed with how Lady Telena handled the stronger competition, having previously won over 1600m in rating 75 company at Riccarton on the synthetic surface and again at her last start at Oamaru.
“She seems to be improving after each run and stepped up in a stronger field today,” he commented.
“I was a little worried, but she has won three on a good track like it is today, and that suited. Seriously had scooted away on us, but she found her gears, and the further she went, the better she got.”
Lady Telena, bred by Kevin Hickman, is the offspring of the Street Cry mare Langara and has accumulated five victories in her 40 career starts under the guidance of Moore and her connections.
She initially began her racing career in the North Island with the Stephen Autridge stable. Notably, she comes from a notable European lineage of top performers, including former champion Italian two-year-old and champion United Arab Emirates four-year-old miler Lend A Hand.