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The $10 million Golden Eagle could be calling for the talented Chris Waller trained Lazzura after the bonny Snitzel mare secured another victory in the 2025 Let’s Elope Stakes at Flemington on Saturday.

In a heart-stopping finish at HQ, four-year-old Lazzura ($2.05F) confirmed her rising star status with a gutsy win in the Group 2 $300,000 Let’s Elope Stakes (1400m), edging out Oh Too Good and Abounding.

Ridden by James McDonald, she jumped as the short favourite and delivered under pressure, holding off a late surge from Oh Too Good to win by a head, with Abounding a further neck away in third.

Lazzura entered the race off a dominant first-up win in the Group 3 Show County Quality (1200m) at Randwick, where she stamped herself as a mare to follow this spring. That performance, combined with her previous black-type successes, saw her installed as the market elect for the Flemington feature.

Settling beautifully behind the early leaders, McDonald gave Lazzura a patient ride before peeling out at the top of the straight. She hit the front at the 150m mark and, despite a strong challenge from Oh Too Good, dug deep to prevail in a thrilling finish.

“She’s tough,” Waller told Racing Victoria after the win.

“She puts herself in the race, James gave her a lovely ride. She gave a good kick at the 300 metre mark. It got close, but she’s tough. She was good over the concluding stages. She’s building a good resume.”

McDonald echoed the sentiment, calling her “a pleasure to ride” and highlighting her quality and willingness to fight it out in the finish.

Stablemate, NZ Oaks winner Leica Lucy, also produced a notable run from last to finish fourth, suggesting she too has a promising campaign ahead.

“She’s a very good horse, we know that, she did a great job at her only start in Sydney in the Oaks and that was the end of a very long prep so she’s a beauty,” Waller said.

“She did a great job to come from where she did, she’s still working a few things out, she needs to go straight and put it all together.”

Waller remains open-minded about Lazzura’s spring targets, with several high-profile options on the table.

She is under consideration for the Group 1 $1.5 million Epsom Handicap (1600m) at Randwick on October 4, the Group 1 $1 million Toorak Handicap (1600m) and Caulfield on October 11, and the lucrative Golden Eagle (1500m) on November 1, all around the mile—a distance Waller believes will suit her perfectly.

“Very open minded,” he said of the spring ahead for Lazzura.

“She’s still in the mix for an Epsom, also a Toorak, then you’ve got the Golden Eagle as well, and obviously Group Ones you want to put on the CV as well.

“The mile will certainly suit, so it’s a good problem to have and there’s a lot to think about.”

Lazzura has firmed in from $26 to $15 in futures Golden Eagle odds online at Ladbrokes.com.au.

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