Trainer Stephen Marsh unveiled a smart debut winner when Glance came from last in the hands of George Rooke to land the ENTAIN/NZB Insurance Pearl Series 3YO fillies (1400m) at Pukekohe on Wednesday.
Sporting the colours of breeder Christopher Grace, the well-related daughter of Savabeel chased down stablemate and warm favourite Mazino with another handy filly in Virgo Viva back in third.
“She's exciting,” Marsh said. “It’s great to have our first horse in these colours, with Mr and Mrs Grace. They've put a few people into the horse as well, which is great.
“I just said to George, ‘I don't mind if she gets back, just relax and ride her with a hell of a lot of confidence, and she'll get to the line for us.’
“I'm just pleased that we've been allowed to be very patient with her. We've been in and out of the stables a fair bit, but she's a very exciting, and I think she's got a very bright future, and better so when she turns four.”
Marsh said stablemate Mazino had probably given the race away when drifting out to the middle of the track late in the piece but praised the ability of Glance.
“You could just see Glance plotting the path, I thought if she runs into second, I'd be very happy,” Marsh said.
“The way she really put her head down and hit the line was superb. They don't often do that first up in a maiden and there’s a lot of winners in that race, so she’s got a big future.”
By Savabeel out of the three-win Rip Van Winkle mare Glimpse, a half-sister to Wellington Cup winner Graphic, Glance is from the same family as current Group Two winner Hinekaha.
Connections are likely to remain patient with the filly, who was not straightforward when parading or when going to the start, but displayed a similar successful pattern to her recent Ellerslie trial when charging home from the back.
“Her last trial was very pleasing to the eye,” rider George Rooke said. “I thought she’d gone over the top today going down to the start, I had to jump off and get led to the stalls.
“But in the run she switched off perfectly, came alive at the 300m and the rest was all on ability. She’s still a bit green underneath me but that was pure ability there today.
“She's got a big future. Stepping up to a mile will suit and possibly even further as she relaxes perfectly.” – NZ Racing Desk
