4 WIN SATURDAY - Good Girl Girt

Strongly supported in betting ($1.50), Girt By Sea (4 m Ocean Park – Baggy Green, by Galileo) recorded a second start victory in the A$25,000 Maiden 1550 metres on Saturday at St. Arnaud (Victoria).

A sister to four-time Group One winner Tofane and half-sister to Group One winner No Compromise (Pins), Girt By Sea chased home solidly off the trail for second when debuting in the Maiden Fillies & Mares 1450 metres on 28 September at Kilmore, and looked to go one better on that effort.

Ridden positively from barrier eight by Linda Meech, Girt By Sea worked across to lead, was allowed to steady affairs, and after being joined in earnest by two rivals approaching the 600m, she lifted in the home straight with a determined performance to win.

On Good4 footing, Girt By Sea ran 1550 metres in 1:35.5.

“It was really good to win a race early in her career,” said trainer Mark Walker. “She’s beautifully bred, being a full-sister to Tofane.

“It was a quite a tricky barrier draw (8) at that starting point, but Linda Meech rode a clever race to control things up front and the mare showed plenty of will to win.

“She’s been a work in progress, having had a lot of jump outs to give her experience, and it’s a family that keeps getting better with age. 

“We’re very grateful to the owners for entrusting us with the training and they’re building up a really nice broodmare band, and, obviously, we’ve got the Canterbury Belle Stakes' winner Sweetest Thing (Hello Youmzain) for them in New Zealand as well. 

“It’s great to be working with stud master Luke Simpson at Glentree Racing and we are really appreciative of the support from Glentree Thoroughbreds, its breeding division, owned by Bruce Wilson.”

Girt By Sea is by Group 1 Cox Plate (2040m) winner Ocean Park (Thorn Park), who won five Group One races, and continues proving himself as a stallion at Waikato Stud, with his progeny winning over 1100 races.  

Among the best, his highly acclaimed daughter Tofane won four Group One races over 1400 metres in Australia, and Girt By Sea is a blood sister.

Her dam Baggy Green, by the highest stakes' producing sire in history Galileo (Sadler’s Wells), is something of a broodmare sensation with seven individual winners of 30 races. 

Girt By Sea was strapped by Hayley Morton.