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More Group 1 targets lie in wait for New Zealand 1,000 Guineas winner 

Last season’s New Zealand 1,000 Guineas (Gr 1, 1600m) winner Loire (Redoute’s Choice) showed her well-being with an impressive barrier trial win at Rotorua on Tuesday.

The Tony Pike-trained daughter of Redoute’s Choice (Danehill) showed a good turn of foot when coming from the back of the field to land her 1000 metre heat, beating Kinshasa (Tavistock) by three-quarters of a length in a time of 59.28 seconds. 

Loire will most likely kick off this campaign in the Lisa Chittick Plate (1400m) at Matamata on February 27, with the Te Aroha Breeders’ Stakes (Gr 1, 1600m) among her long-term targets for the season. 

“I was really pleased with her trial today,” Pike said. “She’s a Group 1 filly you expect to trial well.

“She came home nicely off the slow speed and did it nicely. Hopefully she is in for a good autumn preparation.

“At this stage we will kick her off in the fillies and mares 1400 metres at Matamata on Breeders’ Stakes Day and the long-term target, if she comes up well, will be the Te Aroha Breeders’ Stakes.”

Loire has failed to get her name on the winner’s list since her victory in the Group 1 in 2019 and was most recently seen running ninth in the Thompson Handicap (Gr 3, 1600m) on October 25.