Uncertain future for Karuta Queen

By Mandy Cottell

SYDNEY, March 29 AAP - The racing future of Karuta Queen is at the crossroads with the flying filly set to go through the national broodmare sale in May.

Trainer Neville Layt confirmed Karuta Queen's owners would put her up for auction at the Magic Millions sale but if she failed to meet her reserve she would head back to him for a spring campaign.

"She is going to go to the sales but if she's not sold she'll come back into work with me," Layt said.

"That's what the owners want to do with her at the moment.

"If she gets the price they want then she's probably had her swansong."

Karuta Queen has been a marvel, winning her first four starts including the 2011 Magic Millions at the Gold Coast.

She returned in the spring to claim black-type wins in the Heritage Stakes at Rosehill and Australia Stakes at Moonee Valley.

But one of her bravest performances was in defeat when she ran second to the unparalleled Black Caviar in the Group Two Schillachi Stakes at Caulfield.

Connections had plotted some nice autumn targets for the filly but her campaign went off the rails after her scheduled resumption at Warwick Farm was washed out.

Layt took Karuta Queen to Melbourne but she was affected by Here De Angels when he played up prior to the start of the Rubiton Stakes and missed the jump.

Layt has been trying to play catch-up ever since but Karuta Queen has finished down the track in two subsequent runs.

"What happened in the Rubiton with the other horse playing up beside her made her wary and quite timid which she has never been in her life," Layt said.

"Things just went haywire."

Karuta Queen has been spelled and won't race again before she goes through the sales ring.

The flashy chestnut has raced 15 times for six wins, four placings and more than $1.74 million in prize money.