Adore Me to be honoured on Show Day at Addington

As co-owner of Adore Me, Paul Kenny has November 13 circled on his calendar.

It will mark the inaugural running of the $75,000 Adore Me, a new Group 2 Mares FFA on Show Day Friday at Addington.

"We are very much looking forward to it," says Kenny, "Mary and I have wanted to do something to recognise a horse that was very special to us and a very special race mare."

It's more than a decade since Adore Me last raced. She had a glittering career highlighted by her 2014 New Zealand Cup win in a then world record time of 3:54.6.

"Her achievements here were incredible, " says Addington Raceway's Racing and Property Manager John Denton. "including her Cup win she had 11 wins at Addington so it seems very fitting for us to have a race in her honour."

In all she won 26 of 36 races, including a 1:47.7 win in the Ladyship Mile at Menangle in Sydney in 2015.

"I still remember that win very fondly," says Kenny, "and the hush that came over the crowd when they announced the 1:47.7."

Another stand out in his mind was her win in the 2015 Waikato Flying Mile in a new track record of 1:51.6 after sitting parked throughout outside Gold Ace.

Retired to stud after the 2015 season she has also been a superstar in the broodmare paddock.

She has had eight foals, among them Darling Me (13 wins from 36 starts), six race winners Sweet On Me and All You Need Is Me and Cherish Me, a winner of four of five starts.

"She's still very much alive and well at Woodlands and we see her when we can," says Kenny.

The Kennys have entered into a three-year sponsorship of The Adore Me, with hopes that ultimately it will be upgraded to Group 1 status.