Online bookmaker swiftbet are keen to take on boom New Zealand sprinter Imperatriz in Friday night’s Group One William Reid Stakes.
Imperatriz made the trip across the Tasman to race in the Canterbury Stakes at Randwick a fortnight ago where she finished a close second behind Artorius and she has been installed as the $3.40 favourite across most online bookmakers however swiftbet are keen to take the star mare on and are offering $5.00* (max bet $25) for her to win the G1 William Reid at The Valley on Friday night.
Imperatriz has won twelve of her eighteen career starts including four Group Ones but takes on a quality group of experience sprinters in the G1 event under lights.
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Watch Imperatriz’s 2nd in the G1 Canterbury Stakes at Randwick šĀ š
No one knows ImperatrizĀ better than Hunter Durrant, so those who like the star Kiwi sprinter in Friday nightāsĀ $1 million William Reid StakesĀ will be buoyed by his belief that she is in ācareer-bestā form.
The Te Akau horseman is the four-year-oldās regular trackrider, both home and abroad, and was thrilled with the feel she gave him at trackwork at The Valley on Monday morning.
The Mark Walker-trained mare worked solo over 1000 metres, dashing home the last 400m in 24.61 seconds, in a familiarisation session with the scene of Melbourneās final Group 1 of the season.
āShe got around super, sheās just here for a look around, not here to do a lot of work, but she finished it off nicely,ā Durrant said.
āAt the moment sheās in career best (form) the way that Iām feeling her. She just seems to be getting better and better.ā
The daughter of I Am Invincible will be chasing a fifth career Group 1 in the 1200-metre weight-for-age event that has attracted 16 nominations, including fellow New Zealander Babylon Berlin, Benedetta, Bella Nipotina, Chain Of Lightning, In The Congo, Marabi, Passive Aggressive, Roch āNā HorseĀ and Al Quoz Sprint winner A Case Of You.
It will be Imperatrizās second Australian start, having been run down in the final couple of strides by ArtoriusĀ in theĀ Group 1 Canterbury Stakes (1300m) at RandwickĀ on March 4.
That was her sixth run of the campaign, which includes Group 1 wins in the Railway Stakes (1200m) and BCD Group Sprint (1400m), but Durrant said sheās showing no signs of training off.
āI couldnāt fault her, she travelled down a week ago and she had a pretty quiet week and a decent bit of work on Saturday and sheāll go into the race nicely,ā he said.
āWe havenāt been able to fault her after each start, so thereās been no reason to hold back on her.ā
Imperatriz will be ridden by Opie Bosson, who will be attending his first Victorian meeting since partnering Melody Belle into third place in the 2020 All-Star Mile And having his first ride at The Valley since Te Akau Sharkās third placing in the 2019 Cox Plate.
*T&C’s apply. Max Bet $25


























