Group 1 winning mare Fleur de Lune (NZ) appeared back to her brilliant best with a stunning trial win at Cambridge last week.

The daughter of Stravinsky treated her rivals with contempt as she kept up a strong gallop to win under a hold by five lengths in 55.25 seconds over 950 metres.

“I didn’t expect her to go so keenly and I did get a bit of a shock when she was so far in front,” trainer Lee Somervell admitted. ”What it did tell me was that recent break did her the world of good and she is happy and ready to return to her best form.

Fleur de Lune has been sidelined since a disappointing performance in the G1 Makfi Challenge Stakes (1400m) at Hastings in August where she finished ten lengths off the winner Survived.

“She just didn’t handle it at all well that day and the race knocked her around badly,” he said.  “We had to give her a decent break but I think the trial win has shown we have her ready to be competitive when she lines up next.”

That race is likely to be the Listed Lion Red Plate (1150m) at Rotorua this Saturday.  “She handles Rotorua well and it will be a good test,” said Somervell.  “We’ve been debating whether to put her to stud or to continue with her racing career.”

Fleur de Lune (6m Stravinsky – Kapsjoy by Kaapstad) won the G1 Railway at Ellerslie on New Year’s Day and that’s her main goal again this season.  A homebred for Ada Parnwell, she is from Kapsjoy who won three races for Parnwell.  Her dam is a sister to LR Gore Guineas winner He’s Got The Power.

FLEUR DE LUNE