Pierina stuns punters with $32 romp in five-length Travis demolition win
CAMBRIDGE galloper Pierina ($32) caused a major upset when she dashed clear in the feature event at Te Rapa yesterday, the $100,000 Travis Stakes (2000m).
The under-rated Savabeel 6-year-old had been knocking on the door of another win with some eye-catching efforts of late, including a storming late run for third in the Anzac Mile (1550m) at Awapuni last Sunday.
The Stephen Marsh-trained mare handled the quick back-up and step up to 2000m with aplomb as she travelled sweetly beyond midfield for rider Michael McNab.
Pierina had a dream run along the rails at the top of the straight. McNab didn’t need a second invitation as he sent Pierina to the front and she cleared out to win by five lengths from the wellfavoured pair of Travelling Light and Savy Yong Blonk.
Marsh, who has had his stable in red-hot form of late, was in awe of the performance turned in by his charge.
‘‘That was a good field and she just destroyed them. She had just thrived so much off her last run and was ready to go a big race.
‘‘When she came home from Awapuni, I said we’d just take her along quietly and see if we could get her to back-up this week. She did that well I had to give her a little breeze-up on Thursday morning, she was that full of herself.’’
Marsh was also quick to give McNab plenty of kudos for his ground-saving ride. ‘‘It was a tremendous ride as he never covered an inch of extra ground. He only came around one horse and that was in the straight when he set her alight.
‘‘She is a mare that is really only just coming right, so to pick up a black-type placing last week and top that off with a Group Two win is very special and a real boost to her broodmare prospects.’’
● Speedy filly Babylon Berlin gave her rivals a galloping lesson when she led throughout to take out the $70,000 Cambridge Breeders’ Stakes (1200m).
The Ben Foote-trained daughter of All Too Hard started at the microscopic odds of a $1.60, but never gave her backers a moment of worry as she dictated terms to her 3-year-old rivals.
Rider Sam Collett bounced Babylon Berlin to the front from and set up a solid speed, putting a five-length break on the chasing pack turning for home. Despite starting to tire she stuck to her guns to win comfortably from No Filter and Shezzacatch, who both finished strongly.
‘That was a good field and she just destroyed them.’ TRAINER STEPHEN MARSH