Postponed Mare A Cup Hope

Monday, Dec 7, 2009

Waverley trainer Bill Thurlow is hoping his Gr 1 performed mare Referred can have another crack at a feature staying event before her imminent retirement. The daughter of Postponed is at the tail-end of her career but showed she still had plenty to offer with a resounding success in yesterday's Waipukurau Cup.

"She's in foal to High Chaparral and she'll probably race through to mid-February," Thurlow said. "She'll have her next run at Awapuni during the Christmas carnival and she holds a nomination for the Wellington Cup - if she keeps going forward we might have a go at that with her."

Referred has four wins to her credit but her career-high performance came in defeat as a three-year-old at Trentham where was beaten in a photo finish by Boundless in the Gr 1 New Zealand Oaks. "She's had issues with her knees and feet since then and I don't think we've ever seen the best of her - when she's right she's a pretty good horse," Thurlow said.

The five-year-old returned to winning form in style at Waipukurau and led all the way for a commanding victory. "All her best efforts have been when she's on the pace, if not in front," Thurlow said. "She's a beautiful big mare, a lovely type with a great temperament and she'll make a terrific broodmare."

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