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Lightly raced mare Supera will have her final race of the season in the Gr.2 Travis Stakes (2000m) at the Cambridge Jockey Club’s meeting at Te Rapa on Saturday.
The Sir Peter Vela-owned four-year-old kicked off the season with two dominant wins in Rating 72 company before adding a Group Two placing, Group Three win and a Group One second to her race record.
“She’s come a long way in a short time,” Ken Kelso, who trains the mare in partnership with his wife Bev and Mark Donoghue, said.
“She was always going to take time being by Savabeel and out of the family of Ethereal.
“It hasn’t always been easy as she can be head strong and she’s had a few temperament issues which are improving.
“We’re just lucky that Sir Peter (Vela) has allowed us to take our time with her and she’s kept improving right through so hopefully there’s better things to come next season.”
Kelso is happy with the way Supera has come through her last start second behind Nicoletta in the Gr.1 NZ Thoroughbred Breeders’ Stakes (1600m) at Te Aroha.
“It was a very good run,” he said.
“She just wound up a bit late and couldn’t catch the leader who had very soft sectionals in front and that made it hard for her.
“But she’s come through the run well and I’m very happy with her.
“She worked on the course proper (at Matamata) on Tuesday morning on a slow to heavy track and she went nicely. Michael Coleman rode her and he was very happy with her work.”
Supera has drawn barrier 8 on Saturday and she will be ridden by Michael Coleman, who picked up the ride on the mare last start, replacing her previous riders Rosie Myers and Jason Waddell who were under suspension.
Coleman has plenty of experience in the Travis Stakes having ridden three previous winners, Eurostar (1989), Riomoral (2010) and Lauren Tait (2014) while Sir Peter Vela has also won the race three times with Christiania Belle (1993), Dolmabache (2012) and Rasa Lila (2016).
The Kelso-Donoghue stable will also be represented by Veine D’Or in the Aon Insurance Brokers Premier (1400m) at Te Rapa on Saturday.
“She’s a consistent little mare and she went well fresh up at Te Aroha last start for third. She’s always a chance because she tries so hard,” said Kelso.