Regally-bred mare Manifique is already assured of a broodmare career, however, trainer Peter Didham is keen to gain some black-type with her before she heads to the breeding barn.
A daughter of New Zealand Champion Sire Savabeel and four-time Group One winner Shez Sinsational, Manifique is also a half-sister to Group One performers Sinarahma and House Of Cartier, and Didham believes his mare is just as capable.
The five-year-old mare has won four of her starts to date and while she finished last in her maiden stakes outing in the Group 3 Manawatu Cup (2300m) at Trentham in December, she bounced back to finish fourth in the Listed Wairarapa Thoroughbred Breeders' Stakes (1600m) at Tauherenikau earlier this month.
Didham has been pleased with the way she has progressed and will head north with her on Saturday to tackle the Listed Matamata Veterinary Services Kaimai Stakes (2000m) at Matamata.
“It was a great run at Tauherenikau over a mile,” Didham said. “Another 20m and she would have got up. She is a 2000m horse with a turn of foot. I am excited with the way she has come back, we still don't know what went wrong at Wellington in the Manawatu Cup, but she seems to be over that.
“It was a great run at Tauherenikau and I expect her to go really well.”
Didham believes his mare is still on the way up and thinks she will peak next season as a six-year-old.
“We have started to aim for that (black-type). Next year will be her year, she has just been a year behind all the time. She is not the biggest Savabeel but she is very talented,” he said.