Timaru Treble - Gee Our Milly Bee

Recording their 17^th win in the South Island this season, trainers Mark Walker and Sam Bergerson gained a third success on the programme when Our Milly Bee (4 m Merchant Navy – Rina Bettina, by Reliable Man) won the $18,500 Maiden 1600 metres on 6 October at Timaru. 

One of the more deserved Maiden winners, Our Milly Bee had been a model of consistency while placing seven times before breaking through and won in a manner suggesting the next grade will hold no fears.

Ridden by Warren Kennedy, who also accompanied Talisker (Embellish) and Insatiable (All Too Hard) in their wins, Our Milly Bee had only two behind her in a field of 14 passing the 600m but angled clear at the 300m and sprinted home to win easily.

In the race named Central South Island Owners & Trainers, Our Milly Bee ran 1600 metres in 1:39.9, last 600m in 35.3, scored by one and a quarter lengths on Soft5 footing, and paid $6.50 & $2.00 on the NZ TAB tote. 

“It was a lovely ride of Warren’s, he let all the speed go and came with one last run,” said co-trainer Mark Walker. 

“She’d been very unlucky not winning until now, but quite a slow maturing mare, and hardened from racing well in Maiden grade she can go on and win more races.”

Raced by Te Akau Stud, Our Milly Bee was from the first crop of Merchant Navy, a fast son of Champion Sire Fastnet Rock (Danehill), he won three Group One races over 1200 metres (twice in Australia, and Royal Ascot) in career of seven wins from 10 starts. 

The dam side of Our Milly Bee is one of the most talented in the New Zealand Stud Book. 

Dam sire Reliable Man (Dalakhani) won two Group Ones to 2100 metres, including the Queen Elizabeth (Gr. 1, 2000m) at Randwick. 

Her grand-dam Reisling, by the sire of O’Reilly, Last Tycoon (Try My Best), left impressive stakes winner Valpolicella (Red Ransom), whose first foal, Catalonia (Commands), was purchased by David Ellis CNZM as a yearling at Karaka, and went on as Vilanova in Australia, winning over $600,000, while she also produced stakes winners Vavasour (Redoute’s Choice), Celebrity Dream (Thorn Park), and Rondinella (Ocean Park).

The big influence, and from whom stems undeniable class, is third dam Dopff (Tights), a Group Two and listed winner that still holds the track record (1:20.42) for 1400 metres at Te Rapa, which was given a fright last season by Imperatriz (I Am Invincible) when clocking 1:20.70 in the BCD Group Sprint (Gr. 1, 1400m).

Our Milly Bee was strapped by Kendyll Lee. 

Photo credit - Ajay Berry - www.raceimages.co.nz