Lucia Valentina, Saturday’s beaten favourite in the $1 million ATC Australian Oaks, will not race again this autumn. Trainer, Kris Lees, today told Racing Network the impressive filly had done enough this preparation and deserved a break.
“She’ll come back for the Spring and like all three-year-old fillies you hope they will measure up to the top grade,” Lees told Racing Network.
“One thing in her favour is she does have a very good turn of foot as she has shown here several times,” he said.
Lucia Valentina went into Saturday’s Oaks off a stunning win in the Group 1 Vinery Stud Stakes over 2000 metres a fortnight earlier.
She started a hot $1.80 favourite in the Oaks, but after getting back to last, she made up a huge amount of ground to run third, beaten just over one length.
“Her run was huge but you can’t win them all,” he said.
Lees emphasised Lucia Valentina had a good deal of racing in New Zealand before she even arrived at his Newcastle stables.
“If she’s to have a chance in the Spring she has to go to the paddock now, otherwise we’ll run out of time,” he explained.