Less than a week after the colours of Ron and Judi Wanless featured aboard Group I New Zealand Derby winner Road to Paris, they were back in the winner’s circle again on Friday when Feminino took out the $250,000 Group III Kembla Grange Classic (1600m).
Trained by Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott, Feminino was having just her third race start having broken her maiden at start two at Warwick Farm on February 4 over 1400m.
Given a tick over trial between runs, the daughter of Tivaci handled the step up in class and distance producing a tenacious effort for Tim Clark.
Caught wide for the whole race after jumping from an outside gate, Feminino was tough to the line kicking on to win by a head in a thrilling finish.
“She’s always been held in quite high regard and after she won the other day Gai and Adrian picked this race out for her,” said Tim Clark.
“She had to go five weeks between runs so she had a little tick over trial in between, but it’s still not an easy thing to do and just goes to show the quality of the filly.
“She was wide obviously the whole way, but we went very steady and I just sort of stoked her up coming into the turn, so I wasn't left flat footed when they sprinted and she just kept responding the whole way down the straight. She only going to improve off that performance today.
“She'll definitely get further and a race like the Adrian Knox (G3 over 2000m) could be right on her radar now and who knows, maybe she can get an Oaks trip.”
Kiwi bred Feminino was a $320,000 Magic Millions purchase from Waikato Stud for Curran Bloodstock and has two wins from three starts with prizemoney topping $180,000.
She is the ninth stakes-winner for Tivaci, whose best horse to date has been Group I winning filly Never Been Kissed, who was also trained by Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott.
Bred and sold by Waikato Stud, Feminino is the first winner for stakes-placed Savabeel mare Magazine, a grand-daughter of Group I winning sprinter Glamour Puss.
