Our Queen ~ First Legacy

Beautifully bred filly Queen’s Evidence (2 f King’s Legacy – Enjay, by High Chaparral) scored on debut in the $40,000 Grand Casino 2YO 1100 metres on Saturday at Wingatui. 

Having shown a good action when quickening in the straight to win a trial on 11 February at Ellerslie, Queen’s Evidence was deserving of top three prospects and ably ridden by Joe Doyle.

Beginning well from barrier four to lead, she had company in close pursuit, but travelled nicely on the bridle passing the 600m, was asked to quicken on the point of the home turn (400m) and responded in good fashion to win comfortably.

Scoring by one and a half lengths on Soft5 footing, Queen’s Evidence ran 1100 metres on 1:06.3 and paid $2.50 & $1.30 on the NZ TAB tote.

In the process of winning, Queen’s Evidence became the eighth individual two-year-old winner for trainers Mark Walker & Sam Bergerson this season, accounting for 15 wins.

“She was meant to race (Feb. 22) at Otaki, but the meeting was abandoned after one race, and she continued on to our stable at Riccarton,” Walker said.

“So, she’s done a lot of travelling for a young horse, but after all that I was taken with how tough she was in winning like she did, off the front while being taken on.”

Walker added that providing Queen’s Evidence came through the race in good order, she would contest the $80,000 Listed Riccarton Park Function Centre Welcome Stakes (1000m) on Saturday 12 April, a race the stable has previously won nine times.

“We’ve got a lot of time for this filly by the exciting young Coolmore Stud sire King’s Legacy, and it was a really nice first-up effort to win,” Walker added. 

Owned by the Te Akau Lineage Racing Partnership (Mgr: Karyn Fenton-Ellis MNZM), Queen’s Evidence was purchased for $220,000 by David Ellis CNZM, from the draft of Cambridge Stud, at the 2024 Karaka Book 1 Sale.

Queen’s Evidence is from a highly talented family, as both her dam Enjay and grand-dam Gypsy’s Daughter (Mi Preferido) were impressive winners.

She is from the first crop by Coolmore stallion King’s Legacy, by breed shaper Redoute’s Choice (Danehill), and after three winners in Australia, Queen’s Evidence became the first for her sire in New Zealand. 

King’s Legacy was a very good dual Group One winning two-year-colt, scoring in the Group 1 Sires’ Produce Stakes (1400m) and Group 1 Champagne Stakes (1600m). 

While Enjay (High Chaparral) impressed winning over 2100-metres, Gypsy’s Daughter won three stakes’ races at 2000 metres during a career of seven wins to 2400 metres, and proved herself as a broodmare with four individual winners of four races, including Group 2 and Group 3 winner Rolling Pin (Pins), who also placed in the Group 1 Epsom Handicap (Gr. 1, 1600m).

Enjay, too, has proved herself at stud with four individual winners of seven races, including the multiple stakes' placed filly Familia (Makfi).

Queen’s Evidence carries a cross to immortal sire Northern Dancer, from an uncluttered dam line of bloodline crosses going back to a simple cross of Alibhai in the pedigree of Gypsy’s Daughter. Alibhai carries the blood of highly influential stallion St Simon.

At the time of purchase, Ellis said: “She’s a beautiful filly from a family that has left top females, and by an exciting young sire that stands at the one of the top farms (Coolmore Stud) in the world.

“This family is renowned for producing horses with a good turn of foot and the filly has plenty of athleticism. 

“Having High Chaparral (Sadler’s Wells), who is proving himself as a world-class sire of sires and broodmare sire, really adds to the strength of her pedigree, and the filly possesses plenty of substance and quality.”

Queen’s Evidence was strapped by Ashlyn Lee.

Photo credit - Tayler Strong