Sylvia's Mother reeled off four consecutive wins last season at three before she was asked to tackle stakes company for the first time and while it didn’t work out for her when a close-up fifth in the Light Fingers Stakes at Randwick, her patient connections are reaping the rewards this season.
The 4yo daughter of Snitzel came off a maiden stakes success last start in the Group III Geoffrey Bellmaine Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield to land Saturday's Group III Frances Tressady Stakes for fillies and mares over 1400 metres at Caulfield.
Trained by Michael, Wayne and John Hawkes and ridden by Dwayne Dunn, Sylvia's Mother was caught three pairs back on the fence and Damian Lane of the 3yo Snitzel filly Parmie was determined to keep her there.
But Sylvia's Mother was travelling better and was able to force a passage at the 200 metres to defeat the veteran O’Lonhro mare Mamzelle Tess by a long-neck with a half-length back to Not A Single Doubt’s Fidelia who rocket home for third.
A homebred for Rob and Pam Crosby, Sylvia’s Mother advances her record to 7 wins and 2 thirds with earnings of $455,230.
"We thought if she ran out a strong 1400 metres, which she did, she would win," Wayne Hawkes said.
"She's a pretty good mare.
"She wants to win and she tries really hard."
The Group 1 Coolmore Classic for fillies and mares over 1500m at Rosehill in a fortnight looks a likely option for Sylvia’s Mother.
The daughter of Snitzel is the first runner from four named foals out of the 3-time winning Bel Esprit mare Found The One who was purchased by Robert Crosby off Patinack Farm at the 2013 Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale for $220,000. She is a sister to the Group 1 SAJC Robert Sangster Stakes winner Bel Mer and the Listed winner Ken Arok.
Bel Mer is the dam of the Listed MRC Christmas Stakes winner All Too Royal (All Too Hard) who finished a meritorious fourth in the recent Group 1 Oakleigh Plate.
A daughter of the Listed winner Drop Anchor (At Talaq), Found The One had an All Too Hard colt sell to Robl Racing for $50,000 at last year’s Inglis Classic Yearling Sale.
Found The One has a yearling filly by Pride Of Dubai and filly foal by Rubick.
She was covered by Redoute’s Choice’s 4-time Group 1 winning son Trapeze Artist last spring.
