The curtain is coming down on the career of Sacha (NZ) and she made the most of one of her final racing chances with a game victory in the LR Wanganui Cup (2040m) on Saturday.

There will be some long faces around Lisa Latta’s stable when the Keeper mare finally retires as she has been an outstanding servant of the Awapuni operation.  “She’s been with us since she was a yearling and you just don’t get many mares like her,” Latta said.  “She’s definitely a favourite.”

Sacha (8m Keeper – Viva Romance by Machiavellian) has won 14 times in 86 starts which also features black type successes in the Opunake Cup, Rangitikei Cup and Tauranga Classic.  Her latest victory was a head decision over Delecta Dreims (St Reims) while Back In Black (Storm Creek) arrived late for third.

Her Levin-based owners Hoko and Nita Gardiner sent her to Wellfield Stud earlier this season and she’s in foal to Alamosa.

“Darryl (Bradley) thought he would be up in the first five,” Latta commented.  “But he said the mare is just thriving being in foal and she lobbed along and ended up in front.

“She will probably have a couple more runs including the Manawatu Cup and we will see whether she needs a lead-up run for that,” Latta said.

Sacha is the last foal of GB import Viva Romance who is a half-sister to the G3 Royal Ascot Queen Mary Stakes winners Romantic Myth (Mind Games) and Romantic Liason (Primo Dominie).