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Bridesmaid La Crique in tune for next Group One assignment
Dennis Ryan, LOVERACING.NZ News Desk ⹠ November 26th, 2025 5:48 pm
La Crique pictured during her exhibition gallop at Te Aroha on Wednesday | Photo: Kenton Wright (Race Images)
Twelve months since the start of a frustrating run of Group One seconds in the TAB Mufhasa Classic (1600m), Te Awamutu mare La Crique is ready to go one better in next weekâs Trentham feature.
That close second was the first in a frustrating and almost unbelievable sequence of runner-up placings at Group One level. All five starts since last December have been at racingâs highest level and every one of them has produced the same result.
The most recent was her half-length second to Waitak in the Gr.1 Howden Insurance Mile (1600m) at Te Rapa in late September, and on Wednesday at Te Aroha the benefit of the time she has been allowed since was clear to see.
In a solo gallop between races, La Crique was timed to run 1000m in 1:00.91s and the last 600m in 35.14s. Minutes earlier fellow top-class mare Legarto had recorded 1:03.44s in an 1100m black-type trial, with the final 600m in 32.55s.
âThat was just right, not too much pressure and it should bring her on nicely,â said Katrina Alexander, who trains La Crique with her husband Simon.
âThe time sheâs had to herself was good for her, sheâs carrying good condition and I would go so far as to say that sheâs finally matured.â
Even with all those placings, which can be added to by another two Group One seconds in the 2022 New Zealand Derby (2400m) and the 2023 Otaki Maori WFA Classic (1600m), the now seven-year-old has still won nine of her 23 starts, headed by the 2022 Gr.1 Arrowfield Stud Plate (1600m) and 2024 Otaki Maori WFA Classic (1600m) for stakes of more than $2 million.
La Crique was ridden at Te Aroha by Masa Hashizume, who will be in the saddle for the first time on raceday at Trentham next week.
âMasa has been coming down regularly to ride trackwork for us, which is something we really appreciate,â Alexander said.. âHeâs been very obliging and weâre pleased to see how well heâs getting on with the mare, so weâre looking forward to getting them together on raceday.â
