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The clock is counting down on Karla Bruni who has ensured a fairytale end to her career should connections decide to call time on the mare’s racing days.

The seven-year-old became the first multiple winner of the Gr.3 Estaronline Winter Cup since Rongonui’s 1988-90 hat-trick when she returned to Riccarton on Saturday to successfully defend her crown.

“She won’t be back next year, she’ll be in foal to Savabeel,” trainer and part-owner Roydon Bergerson said.

“She’s been a lovely mare to look after and this could be her last race.”

Karla Bruni had been in indifferent form in three appearances leading up to Riccarton, hence her 18-1 starting price, but Bergerson had been confident of a bold showing from the Pins seven-year-old.

“It was a good effort by the mare and she was at the top of her game today,” he said.

“After last year we thought we would come back – this is the race we had set her for.”

Sharing in the ownership of Karla Bruni is champion jockey Opie Bosson, who was in action at the Ruakaka meeting, and he would have appreciated the ride Miranda Dravitzki produced in the Riccarton feature.

“I said to Miranda to put her in the race and she would do the rest, it worked out great,” Bergerson said.

Dravitzki heeded her pre-race instructions to have Karla Bruni camped behind the leading pair one off the fence and waited until well into the run home before she asked the mare to lengthen stride.

“We managed to get a lovely spot following the horse I wanted to, Mighty Matt, and then I had to bide my time as it’s such a long straight here,” she said.

Karla Bruni hit the front 250 metres from home and held on strongly to give Dravitzki the first black type victory of her career.

Marotiri Miss came through on their inner for second with Ric O’Shea making ground for third and Keepa Tramp hit the line well from the tail-end for fourth.