Win 92 - Fabulous Flirty

Another perfect result today at Timaru - two starters for Te Akau - two winners!

Backed as if unbeatable ($1.50 & $1.10) Flirty Gertey (5 m Thorn Park - Granma Gertey, by Danzero) made it two wins from her last three starts on May 20 at Timaru, in the $12,000 D'Cash & Port FM Dash Rating 85 1200 metres.

The best credentialed horse in the field, she had the quality edge on her six rivals.

Trailing a slow speed, jockey Matt Cameron had the hot favourite into the clear at a timely moment mid straight and she quickened clear in good style over the concluding stages.

On footing rated Dead4, Flirty Gertey ran the 1200 metres in 1:10.5 and won by one and three-quarter lengths.

Purchased by David Ellis as a yearling for $110,000 at the 2012 New Zealand Bloodstock Premier Sale, from the draft of Mapperley Stud, Flirty Gertey has now won five of fifteen starts for the Flirty Gertey Syndicate owners.

“This mare has shown a lot from day one and another example of astute placement by Steve and Jamie,” said Ellis.

“They sent her down with two or three races in mind and this was her first start, so it was great to see her win as well as she did.

“She's had a few hiccups along the way but the owners have all been patient and I get a big thrill out of people that are patient in racing and get the rewards,” said Ellis.

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”.

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 Quizette Stakes (Listed, 1200m). While her grand-dam, In the Mist (Southern Appeal), showed terrific versatility in winning ten races from 1000m to 2250m.

Having notched their 50^th win for the season early in January with Beacon of Hope (Fastnet Rock), trainers Stephen Autridge and Jamie Richards have a century in sight after registering their 92^nd victory.

Richards said of the win by Flirty Gertey: “It was lovely ride from Matt. She's a mare that has kept improving all the way through and has a very loyal bunch of owners, too. 

“She got to the 85 grade and became a little bit hard to place up north, so we've sent her down here and Richard and Jumbo Didham have done a great job stabling horses at Riccarton for us.

Flirty Gertey was strapped by Richard Didham.

Photo credit - www.raceimages.co.nz

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