Blinkers go on Tupakara in the 2025 Tea Rose Stakes

Talented filly Tupakara will wear blinkers for the first time as she looks to finally break through in Saturday’s Group 2 Tea Rose Stakes at Randwick.

Prepared by Annabel and Rob Archibald, Tupakara has consistently measured up in strong races, placing four times from seven starts, including third in the Group 1 Champagne Stakes (1600m) at two.

She returned with a slashing second to Apocalyptic in the Furious Stakes (1200m), and the stable is hoping the gear change combined with the continued services of champion jockey James McDonald will give her an edge.

“She is a lovely, honest horse,” Annabel Archibald said.

“When you’ve got ‘J Mac’ on it helps and we’ve added the blinkers as well.

“She was a bit on and off the bridle the other day and we were ‘umming’ and ‘ahhing’ whether to go winkers or blinkers or save them for the mile (of the Flight Stakes).

“But James came and galloped her on Tuesday and we put them on and she worked really well in them so we’ve put them on (race day).”

Tupakara won’t be the only stable representative in the Tea Rose, with stablemates Kujenga and Next Jen also engaged. They ran fourth and seventh respectively in the Furious Stakes, with Archibald rating all three fillies genuine chances.

“Tupakara, she was the one that drew poorly and beat all bar one last start so she is probably the obvious horse but I do find it hard to split them,” Archibald said.

“Next Jen’s run was good. She got held up a couple of times and she has got an inside draw. She will just need to break cleanly and put herself there but she did jump well the other day.

“Kujenga was terrific off one trial so she was always going to take big improvement from it as well.”

All three will step to 1400 metres for the first time, with the Group 1 Flight Stakes (1600m) looming as the ultimate spring target.

Bettors interested in backing Tupakara or her stablemates in the Tea Rose Stakes can find markets at Australia’s leading betting sites.