Light Em Up resumes at Te Rapa after injury enforced break

Millar Racing
Talented four-year-old mare Light Em Up resumes for Millar Racing after recovering from injury following consecutive victories last preparation

THE career of four-year-old mare Light Em Up has been marred by numerous injuries, but the tough daughter of Rip Van Winkle always finds a way to bounce back.

The Janelle Millar-trained runner took nine starts to break maiden grades after various niggles kept it from showing its true talent, but subsequent back-to-back brilliant wins held it in good stead for the future.

It broke maiden grades with a three-length win at New Plymouth over 1800m and it dropped back to the mile at Wanganui where it won equally as impressive over a stronger field.

The run came to a screeching halt as it suffered a campaign-ending injury as it was preparing for the New Zealand St Leger, but Millar believes that could have been blessing in disguise for the then lightly-framed mare.

“We had to pull back from the St Leger, but the time out may have worked the oracle,” Millar told HorseBetting.com.au. “The time out allowed her to develop physically.

“She is that much more focused and tougher this time in.”

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Light Em Up has always shown good heart when returning from a break and Millar can see the enthusiasm in its work at home.

“At the moment she is thriving on the track and running a muck in the paddock which is her way of showing us she’s loving life,” Millar said.

Light Em Up faces its toughest career test at Te Rapa this Saturday in the NZB Insurance Pearl Series Rating 75 which won’t be an easy starting point, but Millar has seen enough to suggest it’s the right level to resume at.

“It’s always a tough ask starting fresh up over a mile, especially on a Saturday northern meeting,” Millar said.

“We have been building her up slowly and we wouldn’t have thought we would be starting her this time of the year, but she keeps putting her hand up and saying she wants to race.

“Being her first start at Te Rapa too, that might trip her up, but I am hopeful she can handle it admirably.”

Millar and the big team of owners will be looking for an encouraging effort at Te Rapa – the stepping stone to what could be a fruitful last few months of winter.

“She will certainly improve with the run, but this girl is just a treat to train as she gives her all in everything she does,” Millar said. “If she did run a corker it wouldn’t surprise me.”

Light Em Up has staying power and is still only four years old – with that in mind Janelle Millar could see the mare progressing into a cups horse.

“Potentially she could be a nice cups horse in the making,” she said. “After one of her early starts Trudy Thornton (jockey) said she will make a lovely 2000m-plus horse and that was over 1300m.

“Her mother Shining Light came second in the Hawkes Bay Cup so she does have plenty of staying blood in the mix.”

Light Em Up shows all the qualities of a budding young stayer and punters should keep an eye out for it over the coming months in New Zealand.

“She relaxes well and does tend to grind out her wins, but if she is in a dog fight she is up for it,” Millar added.

Te Rapa Race 4 betting market

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