In a race that changed dramatically in the final 100m, the Extreme Choice filly Wollombi came with a barnstorming finish to open her winning account over 1200m at Canterbury on Wednesday.
Ridden by Sam Clipperton for Peter and Paul Snowden, Wollombi overpowered the Snitzel debutant Byron Belle by three-quarters of a length. A half-sister to Listed winner Uniton out of the Group 1 winning Savabeel mare Diademe, Byron Belle was a half-neck in front of another daughter of Snitzel, Hungry Heart’s half-sister Beautiful Heart.
Like the colts and geldings division winner Northern Beaches, experience counted for Wollombi.
The 3yo daughter of Extreme Choice had placed twice in her previous four starts.
“She had been trialling well, and she has been good through the line,” Paul Snowden said.
“Last time, she got out to a little further than today, and I still think she will head that way, just the way she has come up this time in.
“She is effective in the going, so we were quietly confident. Canterbury can be quite testing, but there was a good solid pace throughout, and she was able to get over them out.
“It’s all before her this preparation, and it’s good to kick off on a winning note.”
The colt had been pinhooked by SB Bloodstock for just $10,000 from the Kingstar Farm draft at the 2022 Inglis Classic Yearling Sale Highway Session.
A $200,000 purchase for Snowden Racing from the Kingstar Farm draft at the 2021 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale, Wollombi is the first foal of the winning Hinchinbrook mare Hazlebrook, a half-sister to Listed winner Everage (Zizou).
Hazlebrook has a yearling colt by Tassort, a $12,000 purchase for Premium Bloodstock Services at the National Weanling Sale.
A $22,000 purchase for Kingstar Farm at the 2018 Inglis Australian Broodmare Sale, Hazlebrook revisited Extreme Choice last spring.
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