Devise’s Gr1 win well deserved
A handy barrier draw, a gun Michael Coleman ride and the absence of top mare Bonneval all added up to a breakthrough group one win for Devise at Hastings.
The Shaune Ritchie-trained mare recorded her first group one win in the $200,000 weight-for-age Haunui Farm Classic (1600m), which was transferred from its usual venue Otaki.
The second favourite, who paid $3.80 on the tote, wore down another mare Consensus in the straight to score by a half-length and collect a winning stake of just under $120,000 for her owners The Oaks Stud. Devise was one of the country’s top three-year-old fillies but suffered defeats to Bonneval in her last three starts of last season, including a second placing in the group one New Zealand Oaks at Trentham.
Bonneval was set to resume in Saturday’s race but was withdrawn by trainers Murray Baker and Andrew Forsman due to a suspensory ligament problem which left her racing future in doubt. ‘‘ ‘‘Without Bonneval, that obviously helped and she’s been bridesmaid to her a couple of times and been right up with her,’’ Ritchie told Trackside TV. It was Devise’s fourth win at her 14th start, after finishing runnerup to Von Tunzelman at her previous run in the Trentham Stakes in January. Dropping back to the mile, the Darci Brahma-sired Devise had a cosy run one off the fence from barrier five and tracked Consensus who sat outside the leader Brilliant Shine.
Coleman urged Devise past the Stephen McKee-trained Consensus, with Travimyfriend finishing third. The $3.20 favourite, Start Wondering, was posted three-wide from the 13 barrier and finished fifth, just behind Brilliant Shine.
‘‘It was a beautiful ride. He put her in the right place early and used her up early to secure that spot and we were probably fortunate a couple of the favoured runners drew wide.’’