Patience the key for Ladies First
SHORT-PRICED favourite Ladies First will head to the paddock for three months as trainer Allan Sharrock contemplates an exciting future for the Dylan Thomas filly after her win in the threeyear-old race at Pukekura on Saturday.
Ladies First, who paid $2.40 for the win, made it three wins from four starts when she saw off Bowie to win the $40,000 New Zealand Bloodstock Finance & Leasing 1600m race by two-and-threequarter lengths.
Owned by the O’Leary brothers, Sharrock had hoped prerace that Ladies First could head for a spell as he hatches a plan for her future.
‘‘I’ve just spoken to them and they’re great owners, they’ve agreed to that,’’ he said post-race. ‘‘She’s a cup filly in the making.’’
Ridden by Lisa Allpress, Ladies First travelled near the fence in the testing conditions before the champion jockey eased her off near the 600m.
Although it looked for a time she would struggle to pick up Bowie, Ladies First appeared to dig in and she responded to Allpress to clear out 100m from the line.
Sharrock believes Ladies First will operate on better ground.
‘‘At this stage she is eating mud but I’ve taken her as far as I can at the moment. That was her Melbourne Cup, so if we can put her in the paddock for three months, she’ll go good.’’
Sharrock was full of praise for Allpress, who he said came off the fence at the exact right time.
‘‘At the 200 she was battling but she won by two-and-a-half at the end, so she was pretty dominant. She’s a nice horse.’’
The $25,000 winning stake lifted her earnings to just shy of $45,000, with Allpress in the saddle for each of her starts. RACE IMAGES
Third over the line was Bugle Call, a further three lengths back.
Sharrock didn’t have to wait long for his next success, with Art Deco clearing out to win the maiden 1400m.
Allpress won four races on the trot between races three and six. BARABAS is a shining example of Ruakaka trainers Donna Logan and Chris Gibbs’ joy at the abundance of winter meetings on their home track.
They are able to test their young talent in familiar surrounds and in the Dalghar 2-year-old they have another emerging talent.
It was a given Logan would show interest when the horse was offered as a yearling.
She trained half-sister Jazzella to win six races, including two at Group II level and at $26,000 Barabas was a snip.
He was second on debut at Ruakaka to Barcelo but reversed the placings with ease in Saturday’s Tavistock Syndicate Owners 1100 ridden by Kelly McCulloch.
‘‘He has thrived since his debut,’’ Gibbs said. ‘‘He has worked good, looks good and should go on to better things.
‘‘We’ll probably run him on his home track again in his own grade and then maybe look at the Listed 3-year-old race here in the new season.’’
Runner-up Barcelo will be given a short break by trainer Peter McKay and return to Ruakaka at the end of August.
The winning trainers are big fans of the progeny of Brighthill Farm’s Dalghar having enjoyed black-type success with his Listed Champagne Stakes-winning daughter Astara.
Astara is a likely candidate for the Northland Breeders Stakes in September along with stablemates The Soultaker and Wyndspelle.