Salute the Lady - by 15 Lengths!

Te Akau's FIFTH winner over the weekend ...

Owned by colourful character and racing stalwart Stan Painton, Lady Painton (3 f Tavistock - Lady Verify, by Grand Lodge) ran away like a good horse in the making to win the Te Awamutu Courier Maiden 1400 metres on Sunday 4 October at Waipa.

The win provided trainers Stephen Autridge & Jamie Richards their fourth win in 48 hours, and the same for stable rider Cameron Lammas. The training combination now has 14 wins for the season and sits second on the Trainers' Premiership.

Off the pace in her previous five starts, Lady Painton was sharpened up with blinkers on for the first time and after co-leading on the inner she said goodbye to her opposition at the 500m and won by a whopping fifteen lengths.

On Slow9 footing, Lady Painton ran the 1400 metres in 1:27.4, last 600m 37.4, returning $12.80 & $3.30.

“We weren't expecting a performance like that, but we said ‘go forward, keep in the clear, big hope' ”, said Autridge.

“We've always liked her, we've been burnt a couple of times and we think we've got her worked out and could be going the right way. "

Lady Painton was purchased as a yearling by Autridge for $10,000 at the 2014 New Zealand Bloodstock Festival Sale, from the draft of Westbury Stud. She boasts a notable cross of Quest for Fame in the dam line on both sides of her pedigree, and her grand-dam, Tributes (Quest for Fame) won the 1999 VRC Oaks (Gr. 1, 2500m) and finished second in the AJC Oaks (Gr. 1, 2400m).

Cameron Lammas said: “She surprised me a bit today. She's only been battling her last few runs, but she loved it in front and kept going.  She'll definitely get 1600 metres; I thought that as a two-year-old when I first rode her."

Holding a nomination for the 1000 Guineas (Gr. 1, 1600m), Lady Painton could have earned herself a crack at a race like the Soliloquy Stakes (Listed, 1400m) on Oct. 24 at Ellerslie.