When the full sister to Champion 3YO Filly and dual Group I winner Loving Gaby wins by daylight, she’s always going to be the ‘One to Watch’.
A $1.2million Magic Millions purchase for Ciaron Maher Bloodstock/Nxt Level Syndication from the Kia Ora Stud draft, Greece showed tremendous ability in Sydney barrier trials earlier in the year, but Sydney’s prolonged period of heavy tracks during the autumn derailed her Slipper bid.
Greece went to the races just once and got stuck in the mud when finishing last of six behind Seven Veils in the Group II ATC Reisling Stakes run on a heavy 10 and was sent to the spelling paddock.
Sent out a hot favourite for the 1147m maiden at Geelong on Thursday, the Ciaron Maher and David Eustace trained Greece showed her true colours for Jamie Kah on the soft 6 track.
She powered forward from a wide gate to lead with ease and cruised away from her rivals over the final furlongs to win by four lengths untouched.
“Once she’s back on these sorts of tracks, the sky’s the limit for her,” Kah said.
“Obviously, she’s got the pedigree and the breeding but she’s now putting it together on the track too.
“She’s a monster of a filly. She’s a big girl but she’s got a good mindset at the moment. She’s not hot. She’s a professional to ride and she’ll go a long way this spring.”
Black Type races are now on the agenda for Greece with the Listed MVRC Crockett Stakes (1200m) on the Cox Plate day her likely next target.
Greece is the second winner for Maastricht, who made $2.25 million at the 2019 Inglis Chairman’s Sale when bought by Coolmore/ James Bester Bloodstock from the Newgate Consignment.
Maastricht has a two year-old colt by Justify (USA) that made $1million at Inglis Easter for Kia Ora when bought by Hawkes Racing and has a yearling filly by I Am Invincible, but no foal this year after missing last spring.
A brilliant winner of the Group I MVRC Manikato Stakes and William Reid Stakes, Loving Gaby is now at stud and has a yearling filly by Pierata and produced a filly by Snitzel this spring. She was recently covered by Aquis Farm shuttler Aclaim (IRE).
