Sebring youngster Cardigan Queen broke a run of three career seconds to take out the $100,000 Elvstroem Classic at Swan Hill on Friday for popular local rider Harry Coffey.
The Maher/Eustace trained filly had finished second in all her previous three starts, the latest when narrowly beaten as favourite at Sandown but got the job done at Swan Hill after racing on pace and finishing with plenty of determination.
The Elvstroem Classic is a race named in celebration of the former top class galloper which was famously taken to Swan Hill for his debut by trainer Tony Vasil and duly won by a big margin before going on to win five Group One races including the Vic Derby, Caufield Cup and Dubai Duty Free.
It was a path again trod later by Vasil with Elvstroem’s half-brother Haradasun, another winning Swan Hill debut before Group One glory in the Doncaster at Randwick and Queen Anne Stakes at Royal Ascot.
And notably, Cardigan Queen is out of a mare by Haradasun, Queen Of Eight, a five time winner from the family of VRC Oaks winner Bulla Borghese, that has now left two winners from three to race.
Cardigan Queen was sold for $60,000 at the Inglis Melbourne Premier Sale by Two Bays Farm and her yearling this year, an Exceed And Excel colt made $370,000 to the Waterhouse/Bott/Kestrel Thoroughbreds team.
