Lightly raced mare Attractiveness capped a breakthrough campaign with her second straight Rosehill victory on Saturday, setting up a potential shot at black type in the autumn.
Previously a winner and placegetter from four starts between November and January, the New Zealand-bred daughter of Hello Youmzain has progressed stylishly through the grades this winter.
She was a first-up winner at Newcastle before graduating to city company, where she ran third and fifth before breaking through with a smart win in a Midway Handicap (1400m) at Rosehill on August 1.
Attractiveness was a $1.80 favourite to deliver a repeat result in Saturday’s A$120,000 Midway Handicap (1500m) at the same venue, and she overcame some nervous moments to sign off her preparation on a winning note.
Leading apprentice Siena Grima took the mount on Saturday, reducing the four-year-old’s impost to 57.5kg. Grima made the most of the handy barrier (gate two) and took up a handy position in third and a length off the lead.
Attractiveness moved up alongside the front-running Danish Prince with 600m to run, and she strode past that rival to take a clear lead at the top of the straight.
The job was far from over, however, with Cuban Cigar and Motoscafo launching fierce challenges on either side of the favourite. But Attractiveness dug deep and clung on to win a tight finish.
“It was a tough win, but she’s had enough this preparation,” said Will Freedman, who trains in partnership with his father Richard.
“She’s better than that. It’s good for them to win when they’re not at their best.
“I think she's probably come to the end of her preparation. When you get to that sixth run, you start thinking the end is closer than the beginning of the prep.”
Racing in the colours of Matthew Corban’s emerging Kiwi syndication company Inspire Racing, Attractiveness has now had nine starts for four wins, two placings and A$193,950 in stakes, and the best could be yet to come.
“I’m confident that she'll end up being a stakes filly in time,” Freedman said. “Her last performance (on August 1) really stamped that for me.
“Having three wins in a preparation, with two in town, it’s no easy feat. She’s heading in the right direction.
“A race like the Epona Stakes (Gr.3, 1900m) on Golden Slipper Day (March 20) might be a good target, so we’ll probably work backwards from there. But she’s earned a break now.”
Attractiveness was bred by Helen-Gaye and Graham Bax, who offered her under their Blandford Lodge banner in Book 1 of Karaka 2024. She was bought by Inspire Racing, Matthew Corban, Richard and Will Freedman and Pinhook Bloodstock International for $120,000.
Attractiveness is by in-form Cambridge Stud shuttle stallion Hello Youmzain and is out of the High Chaparral mare Hot In High Heels, who herself won two races over 1400m and 2000m. Her dam Fairygem won at Listed level in Sydney and is a half-sister to the Group One winner Penny Gem.
Hot In High Heels is the dam of two winners from two foals to race, with Show Pony a winner over 1300m at Kembla Grange.
Hot In High Heels has a two-year-old filly by Bivouac and was served by Little Avondale’s Little Brose last season. – NZ Racing Desk.
