New Zealand-bred mare Grid Girl boasts a perfect two-from-two record so far as a five-year-old, having added Saturday’s A$150,000 Rosemont Stud Fillies & Mares Pendant (1400m) at Cranbourne to her first-up victory at Kyneton on November 5.
Previously the winner of four of her 16 starts, the daughter of Time Test resumed as a $1.90 favourite at Kyneton and produced a performance worthy of those short odds as she romped to victory by eight lengths.
Saturday’s second-up assignment was significantly tougher, facing a talented field of mares under set weights and penalties conditions. But again Grid Girl came out on top.
Drawn gate six among a field of eight, jockey Michael Dee planned to go forward but faced an early setback when Grid Girl was slow to leave the gates. Dee still pressed forward out wide on the track, eventually taking the lead after 400m.
Grid Girl dominated the race from that point on, kicking hard in the straight and going on to win by three-quarters of a length.
“The plan was to lead or be outside the leader, but she was mucking around a little bit in the barriers and unfortunately bombed the start,” Dee said. “I didn’t want to just concede and go back. I tried to make it as easy as possible for her to get across. We ended up doing a bit of work to get there, but she’s very tough, very competitive and has that will to win.
“I felt her kick when she sensed another horse coming. I was happy that when we were to get to the front we were able to come back a pair and somewhat relax and get into a nice rhythm and then kick off the corner.”
The Ben, Will and JD Hayes-trained Grid Girl has now had 17 starts for five wins, five placings and A$221,496 in stakes.
“Full credit to Mick, it was a beautiful ride,” Will Hayes said. “He wanted to be nice and positive from the barrier, because we knew we had a nice long run to the first turn. He just allowed her to build through her gears and get across to the lead, held a steady pace and she was too tough in the end. She’s shown really good improvement and that was a good win.
“It has taken time for the penny to drop. She has been a whole lot kinder this time in. She was a mare that could get quite keen in her races, and just being able to overcome a sticky start and then not get charging through the bit to assume control of the race, it’s a really good feather in her cap and why she’s been able to build the picket fence now.”
Grid Girl was bred by Guy Lowry and is out of the five-time-winning Savabeel mare Chic. Lowry initially trained Grid Girl for two starts from his Hastings stable in the spring of 2023, placing on both occasions before being purchased privately by clients of the Lindsay Park stable. – NZ Racing Desk.
