Owner Dennis Marks’ decision to extend the racing career of well-bred mare Olimpica could pay off with a metropolitan win at Moonee Valley on Sunday.
The five-year-old daughter of European champion stallion stallion Galileo is a grand-daughter of champion racemare Let’s Elope.
Let’s Elope was raced by Marks and won a string of seven feature races including the 1991 Caulfield and Melbourne Cups and the 1992 Australian Cup.
She later won a race in the US.
Olimpica was almost retired to stud last spring by Marks, who in recent years has raced his horses under the Seven Creeks Estate banner.
But a change of heart led to her going to her fourth stable, that of John and Chris Ledger at Wangaratta, after stints with Greg Eurell, Patrick Payne and Steve Roberts.
The mare, out of the winning Danzig mare Yes I Will, had won a 2000m maiden at Seymour and a 2200m Class One at Bendigo for Payne but her form then tapered off.
“She’s off to the Valley on Sunday and she looks well placed,” John Ledger said.
Mark Pegus, who has been aboard Olimpica at her past two starts for wins at Wodonga and Bendigo, retains the ride in the Cargo Freight Services Hcp (2040m).
“She was going to stud but Dennis said the Galileos don’t really come good until they are five and here I am retiring a perfectly sound horse just about to turn five,” Ledger said.
“He asked me would I have a go with her and she is just flying.”
Olimpica was placed twice at her first six outings for the Ledgers before winning by five lengths in a 2050m Wodonga 0-62 Hcp and then scored a narrow but very tough win over 2400m in a Bendigo 0-62 Hcp.
“She’s a lovely type and she’s got plenty of guts and is racing with a lot of confidence,” Ledger said.
“Mark Pegus has been saying she is doing it tough but still winning despite things not going her way.”
Marks also has Bee’s Honey, out of his former smart race mare Bush Honey, with the Ledgers and that lightly-raced mare, a four-year-old by Fusaichi Pegasus, has showed promise with recent wins at Wodonga and Seymour.
The Ledgers are also hoping to get a run with Penguin Car, the second emergency in the Noor Elaine Farm Hcp (1200m).
AAP TURF
