With form around last Saturday’s unbeaten Group 1 Epsom winner Autumn Glow, everything fell into place in Saturday’s $250,000 Group 3 The Nivison (1200m) for Hawkes Racing’s 4yo Written Tycoon mare Gangsta Granny who recorded her first black type victory.
With three wins and a third from her first four starts, connections stepped the mare up to black type racing at the end of her 3yo campaign where she finished third to Autumn Glow.
Resuming at 4, she once again found Autumn Glow too strong, finishing a close up second to Waller’s mare before a wide passage run resulted in a third place to Mannal in the Group 2 Sheraco Stakes.
From the outside barrier of 13, Bjorn Baker’s speedy I Am Invincible mare Bonita Queen jumped with gusto under Rachel King to go forward to lead by many lengths while Zac Lloyd had Gangsta Granny getting a lovely trail into the race in third position.
When the home turn was reached, Bonita Queen was starting to weaken but still had two length clear on Danny’s St Darci (All Too Hard) with a further three or so lengths back to Gangsta Granny in third.
With 200m to run, Gangsta Granny took over from Bonita Queen and looked set for an easy victory before Baker’s inform Monte Supreme (I Am Invincible) charged down the outside of the field to go down narrowly in a photo finish.
Working home well for third was the John O’Shea and Tom Charlton trainer More Territories (Territories), while Joe Pride’s In Flight (Flying Artie) doing a solid job to finish in fourth.
Taking her record to four wins and four placed performances from eight starts, the Ramsey Pastoral bred mare has recorded earnings of $328,500.
Gangsta Granny was a $240,000 purchase for A. Koundouris from the Lime Country Thoroughbreds draft at the Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale, having been withdrawn earlier in the year when catalogued for the Magic Millions yearling sale.
The 4yo mare is the second winner, and first black type winner out of the unraced Manhattan Rain mare Miss Hawaii, herself a half-sister to five-time Group 1 winner Eremein, Group 3 winner Peace Force and Listed winner Gliding.
Miss Hawaii unfortunately passed away in December 2024 but has a 2yo filly by Overshare and a yearling colt by Paulele to run for her.
Gangsta Granny is the 79th stakes winner for Yulong’s Written Tycoon who is listed as FOA this season.
