Joe Pride is preparing to send off one of his most reliable mares, Lekvarte, with a potential Group One highlight as she gets ready for her final start in Saturday’s Queen Of The Turf Stakes (1600m) at Randwick before going to the Chairman’s Sale as a broodmare prospect.

The six-year-old has been a ten-time winner across her career and stunned her trainer when she took out the Group 2 Emancipation Stakes on a heavy track—conditions she had previously disliked.

“It was weird. I’m not sure what to put that down to, but she was good,” Pride said.

“She is an older mare who felt like running really well, I think, and normally when she hits form she holds it.”

Facing a stronger field this time around that includes names like Fangirl, Stefi Magnetica, Atishu, and Amelia’s Jewel, Lekvarte will need to raise the bar once more.

“It’s another level up for her to go into a Group One race but she has been in a couple before and always run well and she loves the Randwick mile,” Pride said.

“She has won three or four times over the Randwick mile, including some black-type races.”

Her past victories at Randwick include Group 2 wins in both the Angst Stakes and Aspiration Quality during her impressive campaign last year.

Pride will also saddle up Sounds Of Heaven in the race, a mare who caught the eye with a second-place effort in the Epona Stakes (1900m) last start.

“We haven’t seen the best of her yet,” he said.

“She has to step up in grade again but she is pretty capable. She is a nice mare and she will run well.”