Lady Lira in line for stakes test

Lady Lira’s Rotorua success has boosted her chances of a start in next month’s Listed Ryder Stakes (1200m). Source: Race Images.

Promising juvenile Lady Lira has put herself in the running for a crack at a late season black type feature.

She put the Listed Courtesy Ford Ryder Stakes (1200m) in her sights, at a venue yet to be confirmed following drainage work at its usual Otaki home, with a dominant performance to win at Rotorua on Wednesday.

Lady Lira was purposefully kept wide in the running during the Christmas Fun Racing 28 2YO (1230m) and she proved far superior to Meryace and Red Forest, who were both making their first appearances.

“I said to Matt (Cameron) that the middle of the track was the place to be,” said Andrew Forsman, who trains the youngster with Murray Baker.

“She jumped well to get into the right position and she got the job done nicely. We’ll probably look at the Ryder now for a bit of black type for her.”

Fifth on debut in the Group 2 Matamata Breeders’ Stakes (1200m), Lady Lira had finished in the money in both of her subsequent starts with the testing nature of the Rotorua track the only pre-race concern.

“She needs better ground, but got away with it,” Forsman said.

His opinion was backed up by Cameron, who said Lady Lira wasn’t all that comfortable in the Heavy 11 conditions.

“She had the experience and she pinged the gate to get wide for the better ground, but she wasn’t happy in the ground.”

Cameron also agreed Lady Lira deserved an opportunity to claim some black type in the Ryder.

“She’s got a bit of class about her and a nice action,” he said.

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