Equestrian Icon Horse Maintains Flawless Record With Dazzling Win in Recent Grade 1 Stakes

The 2023 Manikato Stakes took place on October 28, 2023 at Melbourne’s Moonee Valley Racecourse, Australia. It covered a 1200-meter track and had an Australian $2 million prize to offer. This event was a highlight of the Melbourne Cup Carnival, a major global equestrian celebration, featuring one winning elegant stallion. The Manikato Stakes is an esteemed sprint race named after the legendary Australian jockey and trainer Jack Manikato.

Imperatriz is a sprinting mare trained by Mark Walker and owned by Te Akau Racing. On Saturday, she secured her triumph at Moonee Valley by winning Group 1 Manikato Stakes. She already has a cumulative total of seven Group 1 victories, including the 2023 Manikato Stakes, William Reid Stakes, Moir Stakes, and Newmarket Handicap. Now again, she showed her dominance, but this time, she had some new plans.

A novel approach to victory in order to blaze through the finish line?

In an unexpected turn of events, Imperatriz, the Te Akau Racing sensation, known for her come-from-behind wins, took a new approach. Instead of her usual explosive finishes, she broke swiftly from the starting gates and secured the lead. Jockey Opie Bosson skillfully led from the front, controlling the race’s pace. Imperatriz gradually pulled away from her competitors and confidently rounded the home turn with a substantial three-length lead.

The outcome was never in doubt as Imperatriz effortlessly surged down the short Moonee Valley straight, crossing the finish line with a comfortable three-and-a-quarter-length lead over I Am Me.

Bosson, who was in the saddle for Imperatriz, had high praise for the mare, saying, “It?s easy when you?re riding horses like this. She just does everything for me, really. She?s something special. She?s the best I?ve ever ridden, by far. I?ve never ridden a horse that can just switch off and then go bang when you want it.“Imperatriz’s Moonee Valley success story continued to flourish, with this triumph marking her fourth group win at this unique Melbourne circuit.

Imperatriz’s sheer success and grandeur-ridden equestrian career

With 16 wins and three placings in 22 starts, Imperatriz has earned over $3.5 million in prize money for the Te Akau Invincible Empress Racing Partnership. She stands as a seven-time Group One winner, with impressive titles such as the Levin Classic (1600m), New Zealand Thoroughbred Breeders? Stakes (1600m), Sistema Railway (1200m), BCD Group Sprint (1400m), and the recent Moonee Valley sprint treble in the William Reid, Moir, and Manikato.

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Mark Walker, the head trainer, shared his excitement, stating, “It?s great for all the ownership group. They?ve been so understanding about not going to Sydney for The Everest (1200m). We?re thinking about her longevity. That ride today is the genius of Opie. She jumped so well, so why take away that advantage? Mark Walker further added that the jockey’s expectation of a competitor coming around Imperatriz didn’t materialize.

This allowed her to maintain a comfortable lead throughout the race, showcasing her exceptional abilities. Imperatriz’s brilliant victory at Moonee Valley not only solidified her place as a sprinting sensation. It also highlighted the incredible teamwork between jockey Opie Bosson and trainer Mark Walker, a partnership that continues to impress on the racing stage, for posterity.

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