Will the real La Crique please stand up?!

Friday, 23 February 2024 by Jason Tan

Group One winner La Crique. Photo: Trish Dunell

It seems a lifetime ago that La Crique won the relocated G1 Arrowfield Stud Stakes at Matamata in October of 2022, but it was a performance that is difficult to forget.

That afternoon on a soft track she slid to the lead by default, rolled at even, and slightly faster sectionals, before exploding in the straight to win by 3.8-lengths.

In her wake that day was Mustang Valley, who would trounce a field in the G1 Livamol Classic at her next start. Whilst in 8^th was Imperatriz, a beaten 1.8-favourite with the post-race excuse of being found mildly lame.

By any measure it was a genuinely impressive performance from La Crique and HorseTorque NZ rated the effort 110/113 – top class.

She hasn’t found that level since and was 'given her chance' following the Arrowfield, when running 4^th in the G1 Empire Rose at Flemington.

La Crique’s career has been plagued by feet issues and negative riding tactics since and as a result, she hasn’t won another race.

Last start in the Westbury Classic there were some signs that the mare was getting closer to her best, again though following a very negative ride.

In the G1 Otaki WFA on Saturday La Crique has drawn a handy barrier, and the question is, will connections be bold and allow her a chance to be a G1-winning racehorse again?

Her greatest performance was when she was asked to run freely on the lead and thus displaying her capacity to simply run very, very fast. Whilst there are others that like to do the same in this race (Desert Lightning, Callsign Mac, El Vencedor and Belclare), she can have their measure if put into this event, rather than being a passenger to the world of ‘what ifs?'.

It’s time the real La Crique is allowed to stand up.

Get my rating's-based thoughts on the G1 card at Otaki and a quality meeting at Matamata

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Good luck

Jason Tan