Our Fabulous Flirty - Go Gertey!

Given a lovely ride by apprentice Shaun McKay, Flirty Gertey (5 m Thorn Park - Granma Gertey, by Danzero) franked terrific trial form when coming off a year long absence to win the Counties' Cleaning Supplies Rating 75 1200 metres on 10 April at Pukekohe.

Recording her fourth win, Flirty Gertey had tightened up for a smart trial win at Matamata, for Te Akau apprentice jockey Jasmine Fawcett, beating Bonniegirl (Darci Brahma). When Bonniegirl resumed with an impressive win on 9 April at Te Aroha, the form appeared ominous.

Fresh from securing the most points last Wednesday during a meeting for apprentice jockeys at Waipa, McKay had the race unfold beautifully ahead of him and from three back on the inner was able to pounce at the 200m, and she did the rest to score impressively by two and a half lengths.

Impressive, too, was the time: 1:08.9 for the 1200 metres, with the last 600m in 34.8.

“I saw she had good form when going fresh and I wasn't too worried about going only 1200 metres,” said McKay. “As I said, ‘she goes well fresh' and when I asked her to go she went.

“The leader set a good speed; she was able to relax behind them and I just had to wait for the gaps to open.”

Having won earlier on the card with Zambezi Warrior (Pentire), Flirty Gertey paved the way to win 74 this season for premiership leading trainers Stephen Autridge & Jamie Richards.

“She trialled well and obviously the form was good from yesterday, but she'd had twelve months off so we were a little bit concerned given the time away from the races,” said Richards.

“Shaun rode her beautifully and the staff at home had done a good job to get her back. She had a couple of immaturity issues, was sore and we couldn't really pinpoint it. So we gave her a good break at the farm at Te Akau Stud and she's come back in really good order.

“Hopefully she can keep improving - she is another nice mare bought by Dave (Ellis) at Karaka,” added Richards.

Ellis purchased Flirty Gertey as a yearling for $110,000 at the 2012 New Zealand Bloodstock Premier Sale, from the draft of Mapperley Stud.

The Flirty Gertey Syndicate owners have had to be patient but the wait was certainly worth it and given the manner of victory, and the rivals she beat, contesting stakes' races in the future could result.

Her dam, Granma Gertey (Danzero), finished second on debut in the Blue Diamond Preview (Gr. 3, 1000m) at Caulfield, and returned to the same venue off a spell to again run second in the Quezette Stakes (Listed, 1200m). While her grand-dam, In the Mist (Southern Appeal), showed terrific versatility in winning ten races from 1000m to 2250m and Flirty Gertey harbours a similar kind of adaptability.

Having shown professional attributes all the way through her career, Mark Walker had said at the time of purchase: “she's a good quality filly, purchased at a very reasonable price and she has a pedigree to offer great residual value”.

Flirty Gertey was strapped by Jasmine Fawcett.

Photo credit - www.raceimages.co.nz

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