Easter graduates land stakes double
Rising star sprinter Estriella (green star on cap) dominates the Sunlight Classic LR at Flemington. (PHOTO: Darren Tindale)
Soon after Arrowfield’s 2024 Inglis Easter yearlings arrived at Riverside Stables, graduates Estriella & Sans Doute compiled a perfectly timed stakes double at Flemington, with Tutta La Vita very nearly making it a treble when second in the Vinery Stud S. G1 at Rosehill.
Estriella won the $500,000 Sunlight Classic 1100m LR with an imperious display of powerhouse speed, posting a time of 1:02.31 – just 0.16 outside the 11 year-old track record.
Estriella flying! Almost breaks the track record, easily winning the Sunlight Classic 🚀
🎥 @7HorseRacing #AustralianCup pic.twitter.com/QmvuBPtqeD
— Victoria Racing Club (@FlemingtonVRC) March 30, 2024
The filly’s third straight win and second stakes success this campaign takes her career prizemoney close to $1.3 million and unfortunately for her rivals, her trainer Ciaron Maher insists that she is still a work in progress.
“She’s a horse that has so much in front of her…It’s just about holding her together and harnessing her because she’s got so much ability.”
Estriella is nominated for next Saturday’s $3 million T.J. Smith S. G1, but more likely targets are the $1 million Arrowfield 3YO Sprint G2 on 13 April and the major Adelaide sprints in late April and early May.
As the daughter of champion sire I Am Invincible & Madrigals, a full sister to champion 2YO & leading sire Pierro, Estriella has a pedigree to match her top-drawer talent. Bred by Arrowfield & GSA Bloodstock, she was purchased for $750,000 by Ciaron Maher for Kevin & Vikki Payne.
Estriella’s New Zealand-based 2YO half-sister Love Poem (by Snitzel) has been Group-placed twice this season. Madrigals has a weanling colt by The Autumn Sun and is in foal to Maurice.
The Paynes came close to celebrating a memorable interstate double when their other 3YO filly, the Chris Waller-trained Tutta La Vita (The Autumn Sun-Negotiate) very nearly defeated star New Zealand filly Orchestral in the $750,000 Vinery Stud S. 2000m G1 at Rosehill.
Tutta La Vita’s jockey Nash Rawiller sent her forward 800 metres from home, and her response didn’t disappoint him.
“Wonderful effort. She really showed her staying prowess today. Nearly stole it. Good effort.”
A $300,000 purchase by Kevin Kelly from Arrowfield’s Easter 2022 draft, Tutta La Vita has now been Group 1-placed three times this season.
The spectacular $175,000 Bob Hoysted H. LR winner Sans Doute is the 40th stakeswinner from Arrowfield’s 2014-23 Inglis Easter drafts, and the 83rd stakeswinner for the Stud’s much-missed Not A Single Doubt who died in June 2022.
Bred by Greg Ingham and secured for $300,000 by Te Akau Racing’s David Ellis & Andrew Williams Bloodstock, the 4YO mare is the best of four winners left by My Prerogative (by I Am Invincible), an unraced half-sister to Listed winner Given, herself grand-dam of Group 1 winner Ugo Foscolo.
My Prerogative has a 3YO filly Southern Deel (by Dundeel) & a 2YO son Showpower (by Showtime) and is again in foal to Showtime.
