There will be a strong New Zealand-bred contingent in Saturday’s Gr.1 Empire Rose Stakes (1600m) at Flemington, and trainer Joe Pride is hoping he can cause an upset with his Kiwi mare Lekvarte.

Go Racing’s multiple Group One winner Atishu heads the TAB’s market for the feature at $4.40, with the Roger James and Robert Wellwood-trained Orchestral on the fourth line of betting at $7, with Shamexpress mare Grinzinger Belle at $15.

Lekvarte is the outsider of the Kiwi quartet at $17, but Pride believes the daughter of Reliable Man deserves her place in the field.

Bred by Stewart Hume, she was offered through Westbury Stud’s 2020 New Zealand Bloodstock Book 1 Yearling Sale draft where she was purchased by BK Racing & Breeding, in partnership with Andrew Williams Bloodstock, for $210,000.

She entered the care of Newcastle trainer Pride and has gone on to win nine of her 31 starts, including the Gr.3 Belle of the Turf Stakes (1600m), Gr.3 Aspiration Quality (1600m), and Angst Stakes (1600m), and has earned more than A$920,000 in prizemoney.

Pride believes a mile is her pet distance and he is looking forward to seeing how she will handle herself over the trip at elite-level this weekend.

"It's not a coincidence all three (of her Group Three wins) have been at a mile," Pride told Racing.com. "That's her distance.

"It is a step up, but I feel like she's never been better and it's definitely worth a go. She's a very honest mare and she never runs a bad race.

"I've taken her to Queensland a few times and she hasn't enjoyed that, but I think Flemington would suit her and she's a true miler.

"I think it's worth giving her a shot at a Group One.”

Josh Parr retains the ride on Lekvarte after winning the Angst Stakes on the mare earlier this month.

"It was a really strong win," Pride said. "She sprinted from the back, which was hard to do on the day and the other mare I had in the race, Sounds Of Heaven, came out and won on Saturday.

“I think it was a relatively strong race, but she does have to step up to Group One company."