It seemed preordained that the Peter and Paul Snowden-trained mare Mirra Vision should win her first stakes race on Caulfield Guineas – Spring Champion Stakes Day.
The 5yo mare is bred on the cross of two of the best winner of the Caulfield Guineas, by Lonhro out of a Redoute’s Choice mare, but she is also out of a half-sister to Spring Champion Stakes winner Maid Of Heaven and Spring Champion Stakes-runner-up Castelvecchio.
Ridden by Sam Clipperton, Mirra Vision struck the lead at the 250m in Saturday’s Group III Bentley Angst Stakes (1600m) at Randwick and held the chasing pack led by More Prophets (Smart Missile) by a length and a quarter. Kiku (Zoustar) was a head back in third.
Coming off a narrow defeat in the Group III Tibbie Stakes at Newcastle, Mirra Vision advanced her record to seven wins and two seconds from 18 starts with earnings of $445,965.
“I’m so thankful for the owners who have been nice and patient with her and were rewarded with a nice win today, Paul Snowden said.
“This all culminates from the good spell that we gave her. We let her develop and grow into herself, and we’re getting the benefits of that now.
“She has always been a genuine mare, but early on in her career just wet tracks really plagued her.
“She was still going well at home but she just wasn’t ready to press the button and go on with it. Hence the good spell and she has had a brief freshen up in between this preparation too which she has just gone to another level physically now. She’s in very fine fettle and we’re heading the right way with her.”
Bred and raced by Bennelong Bloodstock after failing to reach her $300,000 reserve when consigned by Vinery Stud to the 2018 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale, Mirra Vision is the best of four winners from five to race out of the stakes-winning Redoute’s Choice mare Mirrasalo.
Purchased by Vin Cox Bloodstock for $700,000 from the Arrowfield Stud draft at the 2008 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale, Mirrasalo is a half-sister to Group 1 ATC Rosehill Guineas and Champagne Stakes winner Castelvecchio and Group 1 Spring Champion Stakes winner Maid Of Heaven.
Mirrasalo has a 2yo brother to Mirra Vision named San Luca and a yearling colt also by Lonhro. She was not served last spring.
Mirra Vision is stakes-winner 92 for Lonhro, who backs up for his 18th season at stud this spring. The 11-time Group 1 winning son of Octagonal stands at Darley Stud NSW for a fee of $66,000.
