Let's enjoy these last few months of champion mare Ladies In Red.

To the credit of owner-breeders Bill and Anne Anderson, Ladies In Red has raced on much longer than many expected given her broodmare value and overcome her share of injuries, setbacks and adversity along the way.

What a mainstay of greatness she has been for five seasons now.

The runway is now set for her farewell to racing, starting with a trip to Menangle on May 4 for the Australasia’s premier mares’ race, the $200,000 Group 1 Queen Elizabeth II Mile (formerly Ladyship Mile).

There’s another layer to the race being at Menangle, given Ladies In Red – who boasts 25 wins (and six seconds) from her 32 starts – is winless in two starts at Sydney’s home of harness.

The latest of those was the only unplaced run of her career when arguably underdone and unquestionably overdriven in a Miracle Mile qualifier on March 2.

In drive David Moran’s defence, is one blip on an otherwise faultless record aboard the mighty mare. He’s been a huge part of the story and will be aboard when she seeks some level redemption on May 4.

Moran has driven her in 27 of her 32 starts for 21 wins, including six (of her seven) Group 1 victories.

It all started when Jodi Quinlan drove Ladies In Red to win a 2YO Maiden at Shepparton on September 1, 2020.

Kate Gath took the reins for her second win, and the real first glimpse of what was to come, when the daughter of Mach Three won a heat of the Vicbred 2YO Home Grown series by 17.5m and ripped home in an almost unthinkable 54.6 and 27sec flat.

A star was born.

Ladies In Red won her first nine starts and 13 of her first 14, including the Group 1 Vicbred and Breeders Crown finals.

In an abbreviated three-year-old season, she raced just 10 times in the space of 16 weeks for eight wins and two seconds, but won her three “Grand Finals” – the Victoria Oaks, Breeders Crown and Vicbred finals.

At four came her defining moment.

As great as Ladies In Red had been winning so many major races against her own sex, often defying logic, she stepped out of the “bubble” and raced the boys for the first time and went interstate to do it, too.

In what has proven a remarkable form race, Ladies In Red found the front and thrashed her rivals in the Group 1 Rising Sun at Albion Park in July, 2022. Second and third were Better Eclipse and Leap To Fame.

She returned home to Victoria for another four runs as a four-year-old for three wins, including her first Group 1 Queen of the Pacific at Melton.

Then came an injury many feared would end her career. A stress fracture to a hind leg which required surgery and two screws being inserted.

The Andersons vowed she would be back … and she was, after almost 11 months on the sidelines.

Ladies In Red returned with a rare and surprise defeat in the Make Mine Cullen on Victoria Cup night on October 14, last year.

But, as has been her trademark, she delivered again when it was Grand Final time, winning a second Group 1 Queen of the Pacific win at just her fourth start since winning the first a year earlier.

Against the girls, it was arguably her best and most dominant display.

After another long break, she returned for that failed Miracle Mile qualifier at Menangle on March 2.

But, in true Ladies In Red style, just when the doubters were emerging, she silenced them with a stunning win in the Blossom Lady at Melton on April 13. She paced a blazing 1min53.2sec mile rate for 2240m despite doing all the work and looked to do it in second gear.

This will be a strong Queen Elizabeth II Mile, but it would be a brave person to doubt Ladies In Red when it’s Grand Final time.

Beyond May 4 at Menangle, co-trainer Emma Stewart said Ladies In Red was almost certain to finish her racing career at Albion Park’s Constellations carnival in July.

The $150,000 Group 1 Golden Girl on July 20 looms as the night the curtain comes down.

Everyone will have their own opinion, but in my almost 35 years covering the game, Ladies In Red sits alongside Tailamade Lombo as the greatest Aussie mare I’ve seen.

Let's hope she finishes her career off in style, the odds say she will.