Fascinate at outside odds
GENUINE mare Fascinate produced a career-best performance at Riccarton to break through at black type level.
The Falkirk mare had finished runner-up to stablemate Coulee in the South Island Breeders’ Stakes (1600m) in March and she had no trouble going one better with an emphatic win in Listed Daphne Bannan Memorial Great Easter Stakes (1400m) yesterday.
Trained by Brian and Shane Anderton, Fascinate had won two of her previous three starts and despite the booking of Chris Johnson she still flew well under the radar and returned 34-1.
‘‘It’s pretty exciting, she won well at Riverton the other day and she had trained on really well,’’ Shane Anderton said.
‘‘She’s always been a pretty smart animal so it was great for her to finally get a good one.’’
Now the winner of 10 of her 39 starts, Fascinate was given an economical passage behind the pace on the fence and she finished off in style to win by three and a-half lengths.
‘‘It was a great ride from Chris and she got the job done,’’ Anderton said.
Kolonel Kev got home well from back for second with the winner’s stablemate Raise You Ten also making up good ground from the tail of the field for third.
‘‘It was a great run and he’ll be a better horse next season,’’ Anderton said.
Wanganui visitor La Fille En Jeu was chasing a hat-trick of stakes wins on the course but came up short this time and finished fourth after making the pace.
Nevertheless, her southern campaign has been a lucrative one after claiming top honours in both the Breeders’ Stakes and the Listed Easter Cup (1600m). ● Secret Allure has continued her family’s affinity with Riccarton.
The Lisa Latta-trained filly has made a bright start to her career, which was crowned yesterday with success in the Listed Berkley Stud Champagne Stakes (1200m).
The two-year-old is a daughter of Zacinto and the O’Reilly mare Secret Scent, whose sister Ombre Rose was a multiple stakes winner on the South Island’s premier track.
Second on debut, Secret Allure won at Te Rapa in Febru- RACE IMAGES ary before she ran fourth at Trentham prior to her southern venture.
‘‘She was getting home nicely that day but I just think the track was a touch too firm for her,’’ Latta said.
‘‘When we decided not to run in the Sires’ Produce, we thought we’d sit and wait for a softer black-type race.
‘‘She’s an immature filly and has just needed time.’’
Ridden by Rosie Myers, Secret Allure settled behind the leading pack.
However she quickly asserted her superiority in the closing 250m.
‘‘Once we got the split she gave a good turn of foot,’’ she said.
‘‘She probably got there a bit too easily and wanted to pull up.
‘‘She’s a grouse filly. She jumped well and put herself there. She’s pretty tractable and I’m looking forward to the spring.’’ OUTSTANDING prospect Mihaul will head for a break with his unbeaten record intact.
The Iffraaj four-year-old closed his campaign in style with his fifth victory at the expense of a competitive line-up of Rating 85 gallopers in the Team Wealleans Handicap (1200m) at Te Rapa yesterday.
‘‘It was lovely to see him on a better track and on the rail, he hasn’t been there before and he was very professional.’’
Murdoch said Mihaul would have a spell before they lift their sights next season.
‘‘He’ll definitely have a breather and the we’ll be getting him ready for Hastings in the spring.’’
Mihaul won his first two starts from Allan Sharrock’s stable but persistent leg issues side-lined him for nearly two years and the Taranaki trainer suggested the Murdoch’s beach operation would be the ideal environment for the horse.
He successfully returned to racing at Matamata in March and struck again at Te Rapa last month.
Mihaul settled three back on the fence and once into the clear he lengthened stride to put the issue beyond doubt with 250m to run.
‘‘They went quite hard up front and that’s the best he’s felt – he’s top class,’’ Innes said.
Akoya was in the firing line throughout and boxed in for second ahead of Mr Knowitall. ● STEPHEN Marsh has successfully followed a familiar path with Santa Catarina.
The Cambridge trainer produced the Savabeel filly to win the Listed Waikato Equine Veterinary Centre Stakes (1100m) at Te Rapa yesterday and stretch his winning sequence in the event to four.
Marsh was victorious in 2015 with No More Tears and subsequently prepared Ugo Foscolo and the now Caulfieldbased Ardossan to follow suit.
‘‘It’s a race we have targeted and I thought we were in with a right royal chance again,’’ he said. ‘‘It’s a bit of a new approach. We don’t get into the babies early on and look at these later season races, which sets them up as three-year-olds.’’
Santa Catarina had also won at her previous start when raw ability was enough to overcome rain-affected going at Matamata.