The $3,000 Lope De Vega (IRE) mare Monegal ticked the final box for trainer Theresa Bateup with a maiden stakes success in Saturday’s Group III Bisley Workwear Epona Stakes (1900m) at Rosehill.
Revelling in the heavy conditions under Rachel King, Monegal cleared away to defeat the Shocking filly Neve Not Verve by two and a quarter lengths with the Proisir mare Feel The Rush a further four and a quarter length back in third.
“What a super little mare. I just don’t know what to say about this horse, I just love her so much,” Bateup said
“A big thank you to everyone involved, her bunch of owners, my partner Mick that rides her all her work, everyone back at home. She has just been such a fantastic horse. I am so proud of her.
“Rachel has ridden her a treat. She is just so tough, she’s a six-year-old mare and she is racing as well as ever.
“I’ve got that many people that message her and always have their $10 or $20 on her every time she goes around. They love the fact she’s underrated, they get good value. She thoroughly deserves that and that was the idea of coming here today, we were after that black-type.
“I was just hoping for that top three finish and to see her come out and win is absolutely fantastic. She deserved that little bit of black-type next to her name. She has been so consistent throughout her career, she has just been on the edge in a couple of those black-type races so that’s just brilliant.
“This is what you get up for every day. We’re not going out buying high-priced yearlings, she was a $3000 buy at Scone Yearling Sale and to think that you can go there, buy a horse for that sort of money, even through her career for her to be consistently racing in Sydney on Saturdays, it’s just a thrill to be able to get a win like this.
“I’m glad it’s her that was able to be my first Group winner because she has been such a great little horse for us and we’re just so proud of her.”
The 6yo daughter of Lope De Vega (IRE) provides decedents of Eight Carat’s champion half-sister Habibti a second stakes-winner in less than 24 hours following the win of In The Boat in the Listed Abell Stakes at Moonee Valley on Friday night.
Unplaced in her four previous attempts at stales level, Monegal was purchased by her trainer Theresa Bateup for just $3,000 from the Middlebrook Valley Lodge draft at the 2017 Inglis Scone Yearling Sale.
With her stakes breakthrough, Monegal advances her record to ten wins, five seconds and five thirds from 50 starts with earnings of $649,645.
From the fourth and final Australian crop of Lope De Vega (IRE), Monegal is the best of three winners from four to race out the imported Rock Of Gibraltar (IRE) mare Sublissime (IRE).
Tara Farm purchased Sublissime (IRE) for $9,500 from the Middlebrook Valley Lodge draft at the 2017 Inglis Australian Broodmare Sale.
Her dam Reem Albaraari (GB) is a stakes-placed half-sister to dual Group 1 winner Morshdi and Listed winner Ilitshe.
Reem Albaraari (GB) is a daughter of the champion stallion Sadler’s wells and champion Habitat mare Habibti.
Sublissime (IRE) has a yearling colt by Starcraft and was covered last spring by Larneuk Stud’s multiple Group II winning son of Lope de Vega stallion Endless Drama (IRE).
Monegal becomes the 95th black-type winner for Ballylinch Stud’s Lope de Vega (IRE).
