Trained at Nowra by Robert and Luke Price, the highly promising Headwater filly Jamaea lowered the boom on a field of blueblood fillies in Saturday’s $1million Group II Heineken Percy Sykes Stakes (1200m) at Randwick.
With Tommy Berry in the saddle, Jamaea needed to shoulder the weakening favourite Najmaty out of the way to run down the heavily backed Not A Single Doubt filly Crystal Bound by a long-neck with the Snitzel filly Joyous Legend the same distance back in third.
A winner on debut at Kembla Grange, Jamaea has finished runner-up in the Group III Magic night Stakes and Listed Lonhro Plate and was not far from the winner Four Moves Ahead when sixth in the Group II Sweet Embrace Stakes.
“She has always shown us good ability, natural ability early. She was a natural two-year-old,” Robert Price said.
““It’s a real credit to Luke as he rides this filly every day. Also, to young Brock (Ryan) who is home with a broken leg. He has been heavily involved and it’s disappointing he couldn’t be on her today, but I wish him all the best at home.
“I haven’t had a bet for three years but I had a bet today, I couldn’t see her getting beaten.”
Tommy Berry said the daughter of Headwater has thrived during her freshen-up.
“She was brilliant. I rode her a week before the Slipper and she gave me a lovely feel but was very hot and above herself in the yard which is unlike her. It just sort of showed that she was looking for a bit of a let up. Full credit to the team, they could have gone to the Slipper but they decided to wait, give her a little bit of a break, I’m just rapt for them.
“I went down and trialled her a week and a half ago. I just really like this filly. There was something about her. She has a great attitude. I learned a lot about her when I rode her. I knew she’d have a good turn of foot but it’s only short lived.”
Jamaea was purchased by Robert Price for $130,000 out of the draft of her breeder Cressfield Thoroughbreds at the 2020 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.
She is the best of two winners from three to race out of the Johannesburg (USA) mare Isibaeva.
An 11-time winner in Tasmania highlighted by the Group III Bow Mistress stakes, Isibaeva is out of the Encosta De Lago mare Dragila who like her daughter won 11 races in Tasmania including thee at Listed level.
Isibaeva has a yearling colt by All Too Hard but tragically died a day after foaling an All Too Hard colt last September.
Jamaea becomes the third stakes-winner for Vinery Stud’s Headwater who covered 172 mares last spring at a fee of $13,750.
