Defending champion Dixie Blossoms came from last on the turn to claim a second success in Group II Guy Walter Proven Thoroughbreds Stakes (1400m) at Randwick on Saturday.
Making her first start since finishing third in the Group 1 Myer Stakes at Flemington in November, the Ron Quinton-trained mare powered home under Christian Reith to defeat the James Cummings-trained Raiment (Street Cry) by three-quarters of a length with New Zealand visitor Francetta (High Chaparral) one and a quarter lengths back in third. (photo Steve Hart).
"It's a relief," Quinton said. "You can just imagine what Chris Waller goes through with that mare (Winx).
"We feel the same about ours when they start off. It's been a pretty stressful couple of weeks.
"With mares' you never quite know if they are going to come back until raceday. The indication was that she had, and she has."
Raced by her breeder Alan Osburg, Dixie Blossoms advances her record to 6 wins, 5 seconds and 4 thirds from 21 starts with earnings of $899,910.
A daughter of the former Darley shuttler Street Sense (USA), Dixie Blossoms is out of the winning Star Way (GB) mare Whistle Dixie whose dam Proteaceae (Kaapstad) is a half-sister to Group 1 NZ Derby winner Zonda (Zabeel) and Group II PJ O'Shea Stakes winner Magnolia Hall (Noble Bijou) who was third in a Melbourne Cup.
Whistle Dixie was pensioned in 2013 and Dixie Blossoms is her final foal.
