Class mare Lazzura will spearhead a two-pronged assault for Chris Waller in his quest for a fourth successive Coolmore Classic crown, although she faces a weighty task.
The four-year-old sits at the top of the handicaps alongside Manaal with 58kg, an impost no mare has carried to victory since the mighty Sunline lumped 60kg to her brace of Coolmore wins in 2000 and 2002.
There have been four successful since then with 57kg – Zougotcha (2024), Queenslander Krone (2021), Daysee Doom (2018) and Steps In Time (2014).
Despite the challenge, Waller feels Lazzura is a quality mare and while both Zougotcha (2024) and Lady Shenandoah (2025) were already Group 1 winners coming into the race, the 2023 Coolmore Classic was Espiona’s first and only major.
“Those two were Group One winners before they got there, but she has been placed at that level,” Waller said of Lazzura.
“She’s certainly not far off them.
“She was a little bit soft first-up and she has come on nicely. She had another trial last week and she has come through it well.”
Lazzura’s Group 1 placing came in last year’s Surround Stakes (1400m) while she also finished fourth to accomplished barn mate Fangirl in the Queen Of The Turf Stakes (1600m) at the end of that campaign.
She has a win and two placings from three starts over the Rosehill 1500-metre circuit and went down fighting first-up when edged out in a two-horse battle by a race fit Cinsault.
James Mcdonald rides from barrier eight, while stablemate Firestorm has drawn 12 in her quest to go one better than her slashing second to Lady Shenandoah in the corresponding race last year.
Tyler Schiller was aboard 12 months ago and reunites with Firestorm for the first time since then as the pair chase redemption.
A field of 14 will contest Saturday’s feature, including fillies Ole Dancer for Peter Moody and Katherine Coleman, and Surround Stakes runner-up Savvy Hallie.
