‘It won’t faze her’: Imperatriz camp not concerned about Flemington straight in Champions Sprint

The Imperatriz camp are more concerned about one of her key rivals, rather than racing down the Flemington straight the first time.

Imperatriz wins the Manikato Stakes.

A strong exploratory track gallop at Flemington just over three weeks ago and a flawless spring campaign has given Te Akau Racing Australia assistant trainer Ben Gleeson confidence superstar mare Imperatriz won’t have any issues at headquarters on Saturday.

In the biggest challenge for the ‘Tangerine Queen’ to date, Imperatriz will tackle straight-track specialist In Secret and a host of leading contenders including Bella Nipotina and Asfoora in a crack edition of the $3m Champions Sprint (1200m).

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Having completed a trifecta of stunning wins at the Valley this spring, the five-year-old Kiwi mare can further frank her claims as the best sprinter in Australasia with a victory.

Gleeson said the Te Akau camp had faith in Imperatriz’s adaptability to tackle her first race at Flemington, but conceded they were mindful of the strong opposition.

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WOWEE, IMPERATRIZ. 🔥

SMOKES THEM IN THE MANIKATO STAKES. 😮‍💨 @TeAkauRacing@opie_bossonpic.twitter.com/7LoQr4WMZl

— 7HorseRacing 🐎 (@7horseracing) October 28, 2023

“She has had one gallop here (at Flemington),” Gleeson said of the October visit.

“We sat her off behind one and even though it was only one horse, we gave her a bit of race simulation. She peeled outside and changed legs, and did everything she does at the Valley.

“It won’t faze her.”

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Imperatriz has won seven of her past eight starts, with her only defeat this year coming in the Canterbury Stakes at Randwick in March when she was run down as favourite by Artorius.

Her hat-trick of big wins at the Valley this season — in the Group 2 McEwen Stakes, the Group 1 Moir Stakes and the Group 1 Manikato Stakes (by a collective seven lengths) — have been breathtaking visually and on the clock.

HOW IMPRESSIVE WAS THAT! 😱

IMPERATRIZ SWOOPS PAST GIGA KICK IN THE MCEWEN! 💨@TeAkauRacingpic.twitter.com/UWNCh6UqMU

— 7HorseRacing 🐎 (@7horseracing) September 9, 2023

Now she needs to tick off the Flemington box, and Gleeson believes she is in the right frame to do it.

Imperatriz is TAB favourite at $1.95, with In Secret a firming $4 second choice.

“She is doing everything right.” Gleeson said. “This will be a two-week gap between runs for the first time. But we were thrilled with her work on Tuesday morning.”

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The decision to bypass the Everest, where In Secret ran a slashing fourth to Think About It, and keep her in Melbourne was to add more black type to her already impressive breeding page. But a win here in the Group 1 (which would be her ninth overall) would be the most important of her career.

⚜️ Exceptional pedigree update for Yulong mare, Berimbau as Imperatriz (I Am Invincible) soars to her sixth G1 victory in the Moir S. for @TeAkauRacing at @TheValley.

Berimbau has an outstanding I Am Invincible colt at foot 🤩

Huge congrats to all involved! pic.twitter.com/IZkWwGI8XF

— Yulong Investments (@YulongInvest) September 29, 2023

The daughter of I Am Invincible will jump from gate eight, while In Secret, who is unbeaten in two starts at Flemington, is in barrier five.

Asked if a win would make her the best sprinter in Australasia, Gleeson said: “We are hoping so, but In Secret is an amazing straight horse, so all respect to her.”

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“She is an obvious worry. We will keep one eye on her. But we have done everything possible to have our mare spot on for this race.”

An international trip could be on the cards for Imperatriz next year but for the moment Te Akau is content with trying to first tick off the Flemington part of her CV.

“There have been a few passing comments about it (a potential overseas venture), but we have had our attention fixed on the Champions Sprint,” Gleeson said.

In Secret’s trainer James Cummings said he was confident his mare would make a race of it with Imperatriz on Saturday.

Cummings said: “In Secret has a faultless record down the Flemington straight, where Imperatriz will be tackling that challenge for the first time.”

“She will no doubt love getting back to Flemington, where the barrier draw is less important. She gets an opportunity to follow the right horse with the right run and she’ll let go with a top-class sprint again.”

Originally published as ‘It won’t faze her’: Imperatriz camp not concerned about Flemington straight in Champions Sprint