Imported mare stars again

Irish-bred mare Terra Mitica continues to make her mark in New Zealand with further success at Matamata where she accounted for a hot open handicap line-up over 2070 metres.The lightly raced daughter of Ulysees has now won twice from five appearances since we purchased her at the 2022 Tattersalls December Mares’ Sale for 100,000 guineas (about $200,000).The Lance Noble-trained Terra Mitica had finished a previous fourth in the G3 Queen Elizabeth Cup on New Year’s Day at Pukekohe where she wasn’t suited by the soft going.On a much better surface at Matamata, she lobbed along three back on the fence before rider Warren Kennedy eased into the clear at the top of the straight.Terra Mitica lengthened stride in style to put away a field that included four Group 1 winners and three to have been successful at Listed level.The five-year-old is out of the G3 Belmont Intercontinental Stakes winner Mississippi Delta who is an American-bred daughter of Giant’s Causeway.It is a family that also features the three-time North American Group 1 winner and sire Behrens and the multiple Group 2 winner Cowboy Cal.