NEWS & EVENTS
LA Lowland Stakes Form Stacks Up Again
Once again, the Group 2 LA Lowland Stakes has proved to be the winning formula when it comes to the Group 1 New Zealand Oaks.
After landing the Group 2 Lowland Stakes at Taupo eight days ago, the Milan Park bred, and Chad Ormsby trained filly Pulchritudinous (Wrote-Showus by Pentire) proved too strong for her rivals in the 2400m Group 1 Al Basti Equiworld New Zealand Stakes at Trentham on Saturday.
This years Lowland Stakes had to be postponed after the Hastings meeting was called off on 28 February, instead been rescheduled to the Taupo meeting on 8 March, only eight days before the Oaks.
It’s no easy feat to have to manage a change so late in a horse’s programme towards a significant race, adding merit to trainer Chad Ormsby’s horsemanship skills.
Eight of the last eleven winners of the NZ Oaks have now come out of the Lowland and Self Obsession, who won the Lowland in 2022, ran second in the Oaks.
Saturday saw an impressive winning debut for the LA bred two-year-old Empress of Japan (Savabeel-Tsukioka by Flying Spur) at Kembla Grange in NSW. A $150k purchase by Michael Wallace from the LA draft at the 2023 Inglis Sydney Easter Sale, the Savabeel filly looked to have plenty of scope going by Saturday’s performance, coming between a wall of horses before charging at the line late.
Empress of Japan’s win will have put the spotlight on another high class LA draft at the upcoming Inglis Sydney Easter Yearling Sale on 7 & 8 April. LA’s draft features four outstanding Per Incanto yearlings, including full brothers to Jimmysstar, and Alexandra Quick.