Entriviere can build on a momentous week for Te Akau Racing when she heads to Rosehill to continue her push for inclusion in the inaugural running of The Invitation.
Te Akau’s nine-time Group 1 winner Avantage sold for an online record of $NZ4.1 million on Wednesday and will join the broodmare band at her birthplace, Coolmore Stud.
On Saturday, Entriviere will get her chance to shine when she lines up in the Group 2 Golden Pendant (1400m).
After finishing runner-up to Fasika at her first local start in the autumn, Entriviere went one better with a dominant first-up victory in the Sheraco Stakes earlier this month.
She will meet a similar field in Saturday’s assignment and trainer Jamie Richards says his only reservation is her outside draw.
“She’s a quality mare and seems to have bounced out of that first-up run in good shape,” Richards said.
“She’s drawn the outside barrier, which is frustrating, she’s just going to need a little bit of luck from there but hopefully we can slot in with a bit of cover and I don’t think she’ll mind the step up to 1400.”
A daughter of Tavistock, Entriviere has been patiently managed by Te Akau Racing and didn’t make her debut until she was four.
She has rewarded connections by winning six of her eight starts, including three stakes races.
Richards is content to continue in a similar vein and won’t be tempted to throw the mare in the deep end this spring.
“She was just an immature horse (early), which is probably quite typical of the Tavistocks,” Richards said.
“She had to have a little chip removed out of a fetlock but other than that she just needed a bit of time.
“I think The Invitation is a really nice race for her. We’ll probably just try to stick to our own sex at this stage.”
Entriviere was a clear-cut $2.25 favourite with TAB fixed odds on Thursday, ahead of Sheraco runner-up Fituese ($6.50), who is on trial at the distance.
Siblings and stablemates All Saints’ Eve and All Hallows’ Eve are early scratchings from the Golden Pendant, along with Ruby Tuesday, leaving a field of nine.
