Progressive Rubick filly Café Rizu relished a step up in distance at Flemington on Saturday to score a determined victory.
Given a great ride by Damien Oliver, the Mick Price and Mick Kent Jr trained filly was strong to the line winning the Benchmark 70 event over 1800m by a short head.
It was the second win in a row for Café Rizu, who broke her maiden last start at Ballarat over 1500m.
“It was a good staying effort in testing conditions and she’s a nice filly going forward,” said Mick Kent Jr.
A $100,000 Inglis Classic purchase for M G Price Racing & Breeding Pty Ltd from the Coolmore draft, Café Rizu has two wins and a second from just five starts and has already nearly won back her purchase price banking over $95,000 in prizemoney.
A half-sister to Group I New Zealand Oaks place-getter Star Karen, Café Rizu was foaled and raised at Coolmore and is the eighth winner from Group I placed Zabeel mare Calm Smytzer, who is also the grand-dam of Group III winner Hear the Chant.
Calm Smytzer died earlier this year and her final foal is an unnamed two year-old colt by Rubick, who was the Champion Second Crop Sire last season and leading 3YO Sire by earnings.
Rubick stands at Coolmore this spring at a fee of $33,000.
