A new addition at Oaklands Stud in Queensland for this spring, young Redoute's Choice stallion Prague featured in New Zealand on Saturday with a stylish juvenile winner at Ellerslie.
The Parua Bay Tavern could be heaving with racing revellers on Sunday celebrating the double success of local trainer Michelle Bradley at Ellerslie a day prior.
The Ruakaka horsewoman got the Saturday meeting off to a pleasing start when her talented juvenile filly She's No Saint led from go to whoa to record her maiden victory in The Lawn Shed 1200.
The daughter of Prague had shown plenty of early promise, placing in her first two starts before running sixth in the Karaka Millions 2YO (1200m) at Ellerslie in January.
She was freshened and returned with a pleasing trial win over 800m at Avondale on a Heavy10 surface last month before finishing last over 1100m at Ellerslie, with Bradley putting a line through that run.
She's No Saint had impressed Bradley with her work during the week and she advised jockey Wiremu Pinn to ride her positively from barrier two, and that’s exactly what he did, with his charge going on to win by 1-1/4 lengths over Intan, with a further 1-1/4 lengths back to Judy’s Smarties in third.
“I just thought I would ride her like the best horse today and she proved that she was,” Pinn said.
“She is quite a sweetheart, she is real push button and is quite easy to ride. She jumped the gates, travelled nicely, I just let her run and she was happy.
“She did want to do a little bit wrong up the straight, she hung out and I had to change my stick over to the left and try to straighten her up.
“I thought she won pretty easy in the end.”
Bradley was a relieved woman following the win and said she and her owners will be celebrating through the weekend.
“I can breathe now, I am super happy,” she said. “I just had to put a line through last time and Billy Pinn just rode her perfectly.
“We have got some really happy owners. I did say if we won it could be a big lunch at Parua Bay Pub tomorrow, so I guess that is going to happen.”
With a maiden win under her belt, Bradley said She's No Saint will now be freshened and targeted towards the Gr.3 Northland Breeders' Stakes (1200m) at her home track in August.
“I said win, lose or draw we are going to stop for a couple of weeks and we are going to aim for that Breeders’ Stakes at Ruakaka,” she said.
Bradley was back in the winner’s circle after the following race when Iridescent came storming home from last to win the MyRacehorse 1200.
“I will be happy to come back here every week now,” Bradley beamed following her winning double.
“I was a little bit worried, the plan was to try and be forward, obviously it was a bit of a sticky barrier draw (9), and Jasmine (Fawcett, jockey) opted to sit back, and she has come home really well.
“I haven’t got anything planned for her yet, but she is going to be a nice mare over 1400m.” – LOVERACING.NZ News Desk
