Waikato Stud’s homebred mare Sun Gift continued her strong run of summer form with another victory in the A$130,000 Honouring Our Jockeys Plate (2000m) at Flemington on Saturday.
The Benchmark 78 handicap was the third start of the five-year-old’s preparation. She had resumed with a second at Caulfield on December 3 before finishing strongly from off the pace to win at Cranbourne on December 27.
It was a winning result again on Saturday, but this time delivered in a different way. Ridden on this occasion by Jamie Melham, Sun Gift sat much closer to the pace in third before pouncing in the straight. She dashed into a clear lead with 300m remaining, then stuck to her guns as the challengers began to gain ground. Sun Gift still had a length and a quarter up her sleeve when she reached the finish line.
“She was in a good mood today,” Melham said. “She can be a bit temperamental in the gates.
“If she didn’t jump well today, I thought she was going to have a hard time getting back behind a slow tempo. ‘Willo’ (Craig Williams) gave her a great ride last time and was able to sneak up along the rail, but that wasn’t going to work out this time.
“Fortunately it all worked out perfectly. She jumped well and we were able to push forward and take luck out of the equation.”
Sun Gift is trained by Danny O’Brien and has now had a total of 21 starts for five wins, seven placings and A$252,405 in stakes. She has earned A$143,000 of that amount in the last two weeks alone.
Sun Gift is by Savabeel out of the Pour Moi mare Sunniva, an unraced half-sister to Gr.1 Victoria Derby (2500m) and Melbourne Cup (3200m) winner Efficient. Sunniva is also a three-quarter-sister to the Group Two winner and sire Guillotine, while half-sister Cold Shoulder is the dam of Group One winner On The Rocks.
Sunniva is the dam of three winners from three foals to race. Her first foal Gravity (Shamexpress) was a winner, while Sun Gift’s younger full-brother Morthan Efficent has scored two wins in a 12-start career in Victoria.
Sunniva produced another Savabeel colt in 2022. She was served by the champion stallion’s son Noverre this season. – NZ Racing Desk.
