Promise To Reign on target for Classic test

Brendan & Jo Lindsay’s Manhattan Rain filly Promise To Reign passed her first stakes test with distinction when she split Mime and the favourite Capella in Saturday $100,000 Waikato RC Sir Tristram Fillies Classic 2000m G2.

Watch Promise To Reign’s 2nd in the Sir Tristram Fillies Classic G2.

Only the win would have made trainer Moira Murdoch happier with Promise To Reign’s performance, and jockey Leith Innes believes the track condition was all that beat her. 

Moira says, “We’re all very proud of her, Brendan was beside himself with delight and Leith felt she would have won if the track had been firm.

“She’s a slightly built filly but she’s a thriver, and tough as nails. She’ll be a nice mare for Melbourne in the Spring.”

Promise To Reign has a little more work to do before her winter spell, in the Sunline Vase G3 at Ellerslie on 5 March and then the $300,000 New Zealand Oaks G1 at Trentham on 19 March. That’s the race she has been aimed at all season and her trainer is confident she will cope with the 2400-metre Classic.

“She’s a great settler, just drops the bit and goes to sleep, and she has a tremendous turn of foot.”

Murdoch, famous in Australia as the trainer of 1994 Cox Plate winner Solvit, prepares Promise To Reign for Brendan & Jo Lindsay whose agent John Foote bought the filly for $270,000 from the Arrowfield draft at the 2014 Inglis Easter Sale. It’s been a good week for graduates of that consignment, with Rekindled Effort (Redoute’s Choice-Rekindled Applause) winning on debut at Pakenham for Paul Messara, and Diego Kosta (Charge Forward-Joy Ride) successful in Hong Kong for John Size.

Promise To Reign was bred by Cloros Bloodstock and Arrowfield from the El Prado mare Certain Promise a sister to French Group 1 winner Spanish Moon and Royal Ascot Group 2 winner Spanish Sun. The family’s many fine middle-distance performers include Flintshire, a Group 1 winner in France, Hong Kong & the United States.

Certain Promise has a 2YO colt by Smart Missile with Star Thoroughbreds, a yearling filly by Animal Kingdom and a weanling filly by Smart Missile. The mare is in foal to Olympic Glory.

On this side of the Tasman, Manhattan Rain has the talented juvenile filly Scarlet Rain, progressive 4YO Right Or Wrong (winner of his last two starts in Brisbane) and 3YO debut winner Always all boosting his team for the Autumn.  His leading earner so far this season, the smart sprinter Wild Rain, is spelling after her excellent second to Husson Eagle in the Magic Millions Sprint.

Fourth on the current Third Season Sires’ list, Manhattan Rain has two colts and a filly in the upcoming Inglis Melbourne Premier Sale, and five colts in the Inglis Easter Sale, including Arrowfield’s colt from Lankan Rupee’s sister Charming Estelle.