Narrowly missing out last start in the Group 3 MRC How Now Stakes (1200m), the Richard and Chantelle Jolly trained Smart Missile mare Aviatress dropped back to the 1100m of the $175,000 Listed MRC Doveton Stakes on Saturday, charging late to snatch victory.
Sent out the race favourite ahead of last start Listed Village Stakes winner Boston Rocks (Hellbent), jockey Craig Williams settled the multiple stakes-winning mare in a handy position.
As Boston Rocks pushed along the rail to take up the running from Marble Nine, the duo ensured a solid tempo and rounding the home turn jockey Michael Dee aboard Boston Rocks angled off the rail to head towards the middle of the track.
Marble Nine began to drop off, while Boston Rocks had the lead as Lim’s Kosciuszko started to put himself in the picture.
With 100m to run, there was a line of four, but Aviatress was still behind them, before Williams asked the mare for an effort and she exploded through late to get up right on the line in what was a very well-timed effort.
With just a half length margin separating the first five home, Aviatress defeated Boston Rocks, with Prairie Flower in third, just ahead of Lim’s Kosciuszko and Grand Larceny.
Speaking on behalf of the father and daughter training partnership, Richrd Jolly was worried that the mare may struggle to get a run when needed.
“I would like to see the replay again to be honest,” said Jolly. “I thought with a furlong to go she was going to be unlucky getting a run, but she got that run and drove late.
“Today, she needed every bit of that 1100 (metres), but she got there on the line and won convincing, I would say.
“She’s been doing that (hitting a flat spot) a little bit. Before the corner she gets off the bridle and she just needs that room to go, but once she got that gap late, she surged to the line.
“I’m probably loath to stop her if we’ve got a race coming up. I suppose we’ve got the Christmas Stakes coming up on Boxing Day.
“She missed the spring with a foot abscess. It took a long time to get her right and she’s the fresh horse on the scene.
“If the races are there, I think we’ll keep going, but I’ll speak to David Price about that.”
Having ridden the mare in her last two starts, Williams was very complimentary of Richard and Chantelle.
“Richard Jolly and Chantelle have done a great job with her,” enthused Williams. “They ran at 1200 (metres) then two weeks later at 1100. It was good placement with the weight she’s carried today.
“I just couldn’t get her to concentrate in the gates. It just felt like she was always going to be in trouble and then she dwelt.
“I wanted to be outside of Liam (Riordan on Marble Nine) but I didn’t have the horse to go with him at the start, so I thought, let’s be tactical, keep Luke (Nolen on Lim’s Kosciusszko) a bit wider, but then all of a sudden, I’m in jail.
“When they quickened, they really put her off the bit, and I didn’t really have a clear path of where to go. I was confident that the horse that surged out wide (Prairie Flower) it’s run would end because I rode it the other day at Flemington and I thought it was great, but it can’t sustain it.
“My opinion was right, and my girl was amazing and she ran right through the line.”
Recording her third black type victory, Aviatress took her overall record to seven wins and five placed efforts from 19 starts with earnings of $541,575.
Bred and raced by Price Bloodstock, the Twin Hill Stud foaled and raised Aviatress is one of five winners from five to the races out of the Bel Esprit mare Twin Star Rocket, a half-sister to the Listed ATC PJ Bell Handicap winner Ever The Same.
Aviatress is a full sister to Group 3 placed Green ‘N’ White and comes from the hugely influential Dancing Show family which includes the likes of Group 1 winners Marhoona, Redoute’s Choice, Schwarz, Shoals, Tom Kitten and many, many more.
After foaling Aviatress, Twin Star Rocket has had a very poor breeding record, not producing a live foal in four seasons but was fortunate enough to foal a colt in mid-September by Woodside Park Stud’s Rich Enuff.
Standing this season at Twin Hill Stud on behalf of Gooree Park Stud, Smart Missile is the sire of 27 stakes winner headed by Group 1 TJ Smith Stakes winner Briasa and is commands a fee of $13,200 (inc. GST).
