Ken Casellas | Photo: Hamilton Content Creators
Aardiebytheseaside, the winner of the prestigious group 1 New Zealand Oaks at Addington last December, will have her next start — at her Australian debut — when she lines up at the No. 1 barrier in the $75,000 group 2 Empress Stakes at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
The four-year-old, a winner at eight of her 21 starts in New Zealand, faces a stern test when she clashes with the outstanding five-year-old Steno, who has drawn the No. 4 barrier in the 2536m feature event.
Steno possesses dazzling gate speed and trainer-driver Jocelyn Young is sure to make a bold bid to dash to the front in the early stages.
Interestingly, the Empress Stakes has been won in the past two years by the mare who has started from the coveted No. 1 barrier and has led all the way.
Trainer Justin Prentice and reinsman Gary Hall Jnr combined to win the race in 2022 with $7.60 chance Bettor Get It On, and last year trainer Peter Anderson and reinsman Trent Wheeler combined with Simply Shaz ($13) to win the race by a half-head from Wonderful To Fly.
Aardiebytheseaside was not bustled from barrier three in the 2600m New Zealand Oaks on December 10 when she raced in the breeze for the first 300m before taking the lead and then surrendering the front 400m later to the favourite Mantra Blue.
Aardiebytheseaside took advantage of the sprint lane to score a half-head victory over Mantra Blue, rating 1.59.8, with the final 800m in 56.4sec. and the last 400m in 26.7sec.
At her previous start, over 1980m at Addington on December 1 Aardiebytheseaside began out wide at barrier eight and dashed forward to race without cover for the first 600m before getting to the front. She fought on grandly to finish a well-beaten second to the brilliant Millwood Nike, who remained unbeaten after 17 starts. The winner rated 1.56.6. The last 800m was covered in 55.8sec. and the final 400m was run in 27.7sec.
Three starts ago Aardiebytheseaside revealed splendid gate speed from barrier two to set a fast pace before wilting in the home straight to finish fourth behind Millwood Nike (1.54) in the 1980m group 1 Nevele R Classic at Addington.
Aardiebytheseaside is trained by Greg and Skye Bond and will be driven by Deni Roberts, who drove the mare in a 2150m Byford trial last Sunday morning.
Aardiebytheseaside was the sole runner on the back line in the five-horse trial in which she settled down in fourth position in an Indian file affair before Roberts sent her forward into the breeze 400m after the start.
The pacemaker Have Ago Joe was driven hard to keep Aardiebytheseaside at bay, and the four quarters of the final mile were run in 29.4sec., 28.9sec., 28.7sec. and 30sec. Aardiebytheseaside got her neck in front and then was not driven out by Roberts, finishing an excellent neck second to the seven-year-old frontrunner, a metropolitan maiden performer who has won once from his past 17 starts.
“She trialled really good (with the winner rating 1.57.4),” said Roberts. “We wanted to give her the experience of getting around a small track, and I was really happy at how she got around. She ran a good time and had a good blow out.
“I’m not sure about her gate speed but from driving her, I get the feeling she should get out good.”
Steno is sure to take a power of beating, and punters should pay to overlook her fading fifth behind Cyclone Charlotte in the 2130m Free-For-All for mares last Friday night.
She began from the outside barrier in the field of nine and challenged hard for the lead before getting past Cyclone Charlotte after 400m, with the lead time a sizzling 34.8sec.
The opening quarters were run more sedately in 31.4sec. and 30.1sec. before the final 400m sections whizzed by in 28.6sec. and 28sec. Cyclone Charlotte took the lead 120m from home and won by a length from Acharne Girl, with Mighthavtiime in third place and Steno fading to fifth. The winner rated 1.55.5.
Steno illustrated her wonderful ability and superb gate speed in winning at her six previous starts.
Acharne Girl, trained by Gary Hall Snr and to be driven by Gary Hall Jnr, impressed last week at her second start after a spell when she was seventh early and fifth at the bell before running home strongly to finish second to Cyclone Charlotte last week.
Acharne Girl has won at nine of her 25 starts, and Hall Jnr said: “She is getting fitter and went really well last week.”
Simply Shaz, who led and beat Wonderful To Fly in last year’s Empress Stakes, reappeared after a 20-week absence in last week’s Free-For-All when she began out wide at barrier eight and raced at the rear before running home solidly to finish eighth behind Cyclone Charlotte. She is sure to be improved by the run but will be tested from barrier five.