Rising five-year-old Clemency is bound for the breeding barn later this year but connections are keen to give the mare her chance at snaring a valuable stakes win before then.
Clemency, by Redoute’s Choice out of Group One winner Eskimo Queen, was able to edge out favourite Lahqa in Saturday’s Zouki Handicap (1600m) at Moonee Valley to register a third city win of her career and second in as many starts after a first-up victory at Sandown.
Clemency
The plan is now for the mare to be given a freshen up before targeting a couple of races early in the spring before she is retired.
“She’s won three city races now but to enhance her value going forward, we’ll need some black type,” trainer Robert Smerdon said.
Clemency is raced by Qatar Bloodstock and has five wins from nine starts.
After settling midfield in the nine-horse field, Clemency’s apprentice rider Ben Thompson made his move three-wide rounding the home turn on the mare to be in a position to strike as they entered the home straight.
The favourite Lahqa ($3.40) wouldn’t lie down after racing on-speed but Clemency ($4.20) was able to get home by a head with Ma Jones ($4.20) finishing strongly for a close third, another short head away.
Geoffrey Faber, Qatar Bloodstock’s representative in Australia, said Clemency was an honest mare and would re-appear early next season to get her first chance in stakes company.
“The good thing is she goes well fresh so if we can get a couple of runs around September and beginning of October, then she can go straight to stud,” Faber said.
