The $250,000 Group III Kembla Grange Classic (1600m on Friday drew an outstanding field of up and coming fillies and while Castelvecchio is without his Group I winning colt El Castello this autumn, he might have a very good replacement in the shape of Verona Rose, who kept her unbeaten record intact with a barnstorming win.
Trained by Gary Portelli and ridden by Kerrin McEvoy, Verona Rose won a maiden at Kembla last November and then won first up from a spell at wyong last month before stepping up for her first Black type assignment.
She settled back in the field and charged home late to beat a wall of fillies scoring by a neck over Inevitable Truth (Fastnet Rock) and Brigidine Gal (Al Maher) with race favourite Dominetta a close fourth.
A modest $40,000 Inglis Classic purchase from Arrowfield Stud for her trainer Gary Portelli, Verona Rose was purchased as an Oaks filly and that is exactly where Portelli is heading with the filly, who has banked $195,200 for her big group of owners.
“I thought and hoped she was that good, but you don’t know until you try them,” said Portelli.
“For her to pick those horses up at just her third start and win going away was impressive.
“She’ll go to the G1 Vinery Stud Stakes in two weeks and then another two week to the Oaks, you might have just seen the Oaks winner!
“I bought her to be an Oaks filly and have always told the owners to be patient.”
Verona Rose was bred and sold by Arrowfield and is the second winner from three to race from the Aga Khan bred Minamya (Fr), a winning half-sister by Makfi to staying stakes-winner Mila from Group III winning stayer Minatlya from the family of triple Aussie Group I winning import Manighar (Fr).
Minamya has no yearling for the sales this year, but produced a colt by Hitotus last spring before going back to Castelvecchio.
Verona Rose is the fourth stakes-winner for Dundeel’s dual Group I winning son Castelvecchio.
