Lara Antipova on song for Thousand Guineas

Kiwi Group 1 winner Lara Antipova will test her talent at elite level in Australia for the first time when she heads to Caulfield on Saturday to tackle the Thousand Guineas.

The Fortuna Racing filly has had three starts from Te Akau’s Cranbourne base this spring, highlighted by an impressive win in the Listed Michael Moroney (1400m) at Flemington last month, bookended by unplaced runs at Caulfield.

She raced keenly when finishing fourth off a sedate pace in the Group 2 Stutt Stakes (1600m) three weeks ago, and trainer Mark Walker is hoping for a more genuinely run contest this weekend.

“That last race was slowly run and she just got pulling a bit,” he said. “In hindsight, she might have been better rolling forward … so I just hope it is truly run on Saturday.”

Lara Antipova will have her fourth jockey in as many starts this weekend, with leading Australian hoop Craig Williams booked, and Walker hopes he can help turn the filly’s luck around.

“Craig has had a lot of luck for us over the years, so we are really happy with that booking,” Walker said.

Back in New Zealand, promising filly Asturia will be on trial for a tilt at next month’s Group1 Barneswood Farm New Zealand 1000 Guineas (1600m) at Riccarton when she contests the Group 2 Windsor Park Stud Soliloquy Stakes (1400m) at Ellerslie on Saturday.

The daughter of Almanzor beat a handy line-up on debut at the Auckland track last month and put in a bold effort against the boys when runner-up to Old Fashioned in the Gr.2 Hawke’s Bay Guineas (1400m) at Hastings three weeks ago.

“She is a very promising filly and pretty much untapped,” said Walker, who trains in partnership with Sam Bergerson in New Zealand.

“She has had that maiden win around Ellerslie, so I am looking forward to seeing what she does.”