Queensland feature beckons
Quality mare Mime staked her claim at Te Rapa for a trip to Queensland next month in her quest for a first victory at the highest level.
The genuine four-year-old trumped her rivals in yesterday’s group two Travis Stakes with a performance that will have gone a long way toward convincing her connections that she deserves a crack at a group one feature in Brisbane.
“The Doomben Cup in three weeks’ time will be up for discussion,” said Michael Wallace, the bloodstock and racing manager for owners the China Horse Club. “She hasn’t done anything wrong and been there or thereabouts since we acquired her.”
The Murray Baker and Andrew Forsman-trained daughter of Mastercraftsman opened her current preparation with a close second in the group two Westbury Classic before she finished third in the group one New Zealand Thoroughbred Breeders’ Stakes.
“Murray and Andrew have been saying that they couldn’t wait to get her up to 2000 metres and she’s proved them right today,” Wallace said.
Mime settled three back on the rails for rider Craig Grylls and he had to bide his time until the field fanned out into the straight.
“I didn’t want to be on the fence, that wasn’t the plan, but I ended up there and she was always travelling very well,” he said.
“I had to wait for a gap to open up and then she kicked and won really nicely. She got through the ground well enough, but she wouldn’t want it bottomless. She’s been a model of consistency.”
Mime got the decision by a long neck from the longshot Endean Rose, who gave an excellent account of herself, with a nose back to Sofia Rosa, who came on well from the back.
The pacemaker China Star boxed on bravely to take fourth money ahead of Thee Auld Floozie.