Fresh off her win in the Group 1 Bonecrusher New Zealand Stakes at Pukekohe Park, the Proisir filly Prowess gave the locals a good old thrashing in Saturday's Group 1 Vinery Stud Stakes (2000m) at Rosehill Gardens.
Ridden by Mark Zahra for Roger James and Robert Wellwood, Prowess enjoyed a charmed run just of the pace. When Zahra pressed the button at the 300m, Prowess quickly put daylight behind her.
She defeated the game Pavitra American Pharoah (USA) by three and a quarter lengths with three-quarters of a length back to last season's Golden Slipper heroine Fireburn (Rebel Dane).
New Zealand's pin-up three-year-old filly advances her record to seven wins and two seconds from nine starts with earnings of $1,240,654.
Roger James said his star pupil would miss the ATC Oaks and go home and spell, but he has the Golden Eagle in mind next October.
"I've thought for a long time that she could be the best I've trained," James said.
"She is a superstar, this filly. She is bloody good. She is an absolute gem. I've been the strapper this week; I was here before she was."
"I have travelled a lot of horses to Australia, and not many settle in as she did, and it's her first trip away, so she's only going to get better. She is a star in the making.
"The world is her oyster. Without being silly, there is a lot of money to be had as an older horse in Australia, and she's had quite a big season. She's been to the South Island and back. She is still learning her game too. We'll get home and enjoy what we've just seen now, and we can make plans from there.
"She does things that I haven't had another horse be able to do, and I've been very blessed. I've had Zonda, who was always the benchmark, Silent Achiever, I've had some lovely horses over the years. I've won this race with Sixty Seconds, but this filly does special things.
"She is pretty versatile, she's capable from 1400m to 2000m, and I truly don't believe she's a mile-and-a-half horse. We took her out of the New Zealand Derby when she was vying for favouritism and she does hold a nomination for the Oaks. But she also holds a slot on the plane tomorrow, and that will be the one she takes."
A $230,000 purchase for her trainers from the Hallmark Stud draft at New Zealand Bloodstock's 2021 Yearling Sale at Karaka, Prowess is a half-sister to stakes-placed Ajay Tee (Foxwedge).
She is the best of four winners from as many to race for the Don Eduardo mare Donna Marie, who was a $20,000 purchase for Hallmark Stud when offered by Haunui Farm at the 2014 National Weanling, Broodmare & Mixed Bloodstock Sale at Karaka.
A half-sister to the multiple Singapore stakes winner Onceuponatime (Van Nistelrooy), Donna Marie is a daughter of the high-class Kingdom Bay mare Scarlet Runner, winner of the Group II Sir Tristram Fillies Classic, and fourth behind Savannah Success in the 1999 Vinery Stud Stakes when called the Ansett Australia Stakes.
Donna Marie has a 2yo colt by El Roca. After foaling a sister to Prowess, she visited Rich Hill Stud's high-flying son of Choisir again last spring.
Proisir is having a day out at Rosehill with 3yo son Tapildoodledo springing a surprise in the Group II Tulloch Stakes.
