Thoroughbred Horse Nominee: La Trice
11 November, 2016
Hall of Fame
La Trice became the first horse to win the Karrakatta Plate and Railway Stakes double.
She achieved the feat as a three-year-old when she was ridden by Graham “Bluey” Lambie beating Torecan by 1 ¼ lengths on December 28, 1968.
La Trice won the Karrakatta Plate (1200m) a year earlier at Ascot.
She was a daughter of the famous Colonial stallion Matrice out of Larna.
She was first past the post (1 1/4lens) in the Railway Stakes for a second time in 1970, but she lost the race in the stewards’ room to Kilrickle in one of the most controversial decisions in a protest in WA racing history.
It was not until Jacks Or Better won the 1995 Railway Stakes was La Trice’s effort to win the Karrakatta-Railway double mirrored. Jacks Or Better won the 1994 Karrakatta.
La Trice won successive Winterbottom Stakes and successive Lee-Steere Stakes as well as the Champion Fillies Stakes.
Her first success in the Winterbottom was at her following start, after losing the Railway, winning by two lengths. Kilrickle finished sixth in the same race.
La Trice became the first mare and first horse to win the Winterbottom in consecutive years in 1971. Asteroid won twice in 1953 and 1955.
Owner Maureen Edwards sent La Trice to Victoria where she stayed at trainer Ron Hutchinson’s stable, and she ran a luckless third at her first start over 1200m at Moonee Valley on April 12, 1969.
Ted Greig, who prepared La Trice to win the 1968 Railway Stakes took La Trice across and she was ridden by Lambie at her first start.
Tragedy struck at her next start when she had her hind leg stripped, due to interference, finishing 12th over 1400m at Flemington On ANZAC Day.
La Trice was confined to a box for many months while the vets nursed her back to health, but the diagnosis for her to return to the racetrack was poor.
La Trice did return to the track on October 24, 1970, where she ran third to Bon Rosa, beating Kilrickle in the Farnley Stakes (1200m) at Ascot.
La Trice won 12 races, six seconds and eight thirds at 47 starts in her career.
La Trice is one of only five fillies to win the Railway Stakes in its long history, including Jungle Dawn (1987), Millefleurs (1972), Maniana (1954) and Florrie (1895).
WA Racing Hall of Fame – People’s Choice
Coming soon…