She's Not Bad - She's Very Good

She's Not Bad (4 m He's Remarkable - Andra, by Zeditave) looks set for higher honours following an impressive victory in the $10,000 Hawkes Bay Crane Hire Rating 65 1300 metres on 11 November at Hastings.

A stylish winner on debut in March at Avondale, She's Not Bad made it two wins from three starts for Simms Davison (Mapperley Stud) and Chittick Investments, after being checked at a vital stage when resuming recently at Pukekohe.

With Hugo the Boss (Stratum) ensuring a quick tempo, settling rearward off the outside barrier (10) was an ideal position and Shafiq had She's Not Bad cruising along. Although still ten lengths astern at the 600m, she appeared to travel best and quickened clear once given rein mid-straight. Pretty, late in the piece, it was a performance to suggest her competitiveness in richer company.

On Dead4 footing, She's Not Bad ran the 1300 metres in a slick 1:16.6, winning by two and a quarter lengths, and returned $7.70 & $2.50 on the NZ TAB tote.

“I thought it was a terrific win,” said trainer Jamie Richards. “She had good form as a three-year-old, winning her only start when beating subsequent dual winner and Group Three placed Hangar (O'Reilly).

“Garry (Chittick) and Simms have been patient with her, allowed us the time, and she was a bit unlucky first up in this campaign. We changed things around: putting on visor blinkers and earmuffs on the way to the start, to keep her settled, and plans to ride her quieter and find the line all worked out well.

“She won like a mare that can go on with the job. It was a lovely ride by Shafiq and a credit to the staff at home that has done such a good job with her, because she's not the easiest.”

Bred and owned by Mapperley Stud, She's Not Bad is the fifth individual winner for Andra, a mare that won two sprint races to 1100 metres in Australia, but left winners up to 2000 metres.

“It was a good confidence building win and a good step because her first run this season wasn't ideal, unfortunately,” Davison said.

“She spelled here (Mapperley Stud), did really well and developed into a lovely mare with plenty of scoop and rein about her. It's one of the main reasons we kept her to race, because she looked the part and if she could perform up to those looks then her broodmare future seems bright.

“Quite a few progeny of He's Remarkable have won a couple of races and she looks like a mare that can go on with it. At the moment, she's showing good signs but like so many they've got to step up and do it.”

She's Not Bad could have raced a day earlier at Te Rapa, from a better draw, but a decision to wait proved correct.

“It was a good call by Jamie (Richards),” Davison said. “We had a chat before the weekend and even though she was drawn wider at Hastings, he thought the trip away would help her and although drawn wide he had the confidence to ride her quietly. So, it was a great call on his behalf. The right option and it paid off.

“To go all the way to Hawkes Bay and have the confidence, it shows he's got some great systems in place.

“We'd like to think she's a stakes' quality mare. Jamie says her work during the week is never that impressive and it seems she's a mare that saves her best for game day, to show her true colours. Everything about her racing so far is very positive and as her race awareness improves she looks to have the ability to go further.”

She's Not Bad was strapped by Tracy Collis.

Photo credit - www.raceimages.co.nz