Arrowfield Easter fillies reward the Paynes
Arrowfield Easter Sale graduate Estriella lands the $1 million Inglis Sprint and a $200,000 Pink Bonus for majority owner Vikki Payne. (PHOTO: Darren Tindale)
Two years after finding triple Classic winner Hitotsu in Arrowfield’s Magic Millions draft, Kevin & Vikki Payne purchased a pair of superbly bred fillies from Arrowfield at Inglis Easter 2022.
On Saturday those two fillies, Estriella & Tutta La Vita, delivered an $825,000 thrill for the Paynes at Flemington & Randwick.
A debut 2YO winner and Group 2-placed in the Spring before spelling, Estriella confirmed her progress with her maiden stakes win in the Peter Le Grand S. G3 at Caulfield on 10 February.
She has now taken another step upwards with a comprehensive victory in the $1 million Inglis Sprint for 3YOs, after a well-judged ride by Blake Shinn who let her roll comfortably in front then asked her to extend 400 metres from home. The filly responded with an 11.27 split that proved enough to hold off the fast-finishing Robrick by three-quarters of a length.
Estriella is a special horse 👏
The daughter of I Am Invincible went to the front & held on bravely for the big prize 💰@cmaherracing @blake_shinn pic.twitter.com/IbmtmIowZG
— Racing.com (@Racing) March 2, 2024
Trainer Ciaron Maher, who co-trained Hitotsu and signed for Estriella as a $750,000 yearling, said afterwards, “She is special…she’s a very, very good filly…Kevin Payne, he’s got a knack of finding a good one and it’s fantastic she’s in our stable.”
On top of the $550,000 winner’s prizemoney, Estriella added the $200,000 Inglis Pink Bonus for her delighted majority owner Vikki Payne. That takes the filly’s earnings from just 6 starts to $987,000.
By champion sire I Am Invincible, Estriella was bred by Arrowfield & GSA Bloodstock and is the third foal of Madrigals (by Lonhro), a full sister to champion 2YO and leading sire Pierro.
The mare’s 4th foal, 2YO filly Love Poem (by Snitzel) has also shone in recent weeks, with two Group placings from her first two starts in New Zealand. Love Poem is yet another Easter find from Arrowfield, secured for $280,000 by Bruce Perry Bloodstock. Madrigals has a weanling colt by The Autumn Sun and is in foal to Maurice.
Arrowfield Easter graduates shine at Flemington & Randwick
Already Group 1-placed behind Tropical Squall in the Flight S. G1 last September, Tutta La Vita filled the same spot behind the same filly in Saturday’s $750,000 ATC Surround S. 1400m G1, after running the fastest last 200 metres of the race.
Her jockey Tyler Schiller said, “I was rapt with the way she ran first-up. She is only going to go further so really great first-up run.” Trained by Chris Waller, she is nominated for several Autumn Group 1 features including the Australian Oaks and Queen of the Turf Stakes.
Offered 48 lots after Estriella at Inglis Easter 2022, Tutta La Vita (The Autumn Sun-Negotiate by Red Ransom) was knocked down for $300,000 to Kevin Kelly on behalf of the Paynes.
Her dam Negotiate, a descendant of the great Denise’s Joy, has been an outstanding broodmare for Arrowfield, Alan Jones & John Leaver, with a 100% winners/runners record including Group 1-winning sprinter Secret Agenda as well as Tutta La Vita and 3 other Group performers. Her 2YO colt Adjudicate (by Dundeel) is with Mitchell Freedman and her yearling colt by Snitzel will be offered as Lot 180 at Inglis Easter 2024.
Estriella & Tutta La Vita were not the only Arrowfield Easter graduates to post significant performances on Saturday. Earlier on the Flemington card, Te Akau’s 4YO mare Sans Doute (Not A Single Doubt-My Prerogative), sold for $300,000 on behalf of breeders Greg & Barb Ingham, scored her third straight win on the course, with Arrowfield’s home-bred filly Waltz On By (I Am Invincible-Stay With Me) finishing strongly for 2nd at her campaign debut.
And at Randwick, Waltz On By’s 2YO half-brother Duvana (Dundeel-Stay With Me) impressed when 3rd at his second start behind Storm Boy and Snitzel’s son Prost in the Skyline S. G2. Prepared by Chris Waller for Kia Ora Stud & TFI, he is nominated for the Group 1 Golden Slipper & Inglis Sires’. Stay With Me’s yearling filly by I Am Invincible is Lot 316 at Inglis Easter 2024.
