Winner: She Sure Suited Herself

Deserving of victory, She Suits Herself (3 f Savile Row – Sleepy Girl, by Rip Van Winkle) capped solid form with a strong performance in the $25,000 Horizon By SkyCity Maiden 2100 metres on 14 March at Pukekohe.

Placed in three of five starts to 2100 metres, including close second in the Oaks Prelude (Listed, 1800m) three starts ago at New Plymouth, She Suits Herself had been claimed on the line in the Maiden 2100 metres on 27 February at Hawera, and rated a top three chance.

Ridden by reigning Champion Jockey Craig Grylls, who was aboard at Hawera, and recently notched his 100th win this season, She Suits Herself was given an economical trip midfield on the inner, five lengths 600m, picked a path near the rail at the 200m and let down with a strong finish. 

On Soft5 footing, she ran 2100 metres in 2:12.4, last 600m in 35.4 (approx.), and drifted in betting to pay $4.30 & $1.80 on the NZ TAB tote.

“It was really good to see her breakthrough and win, and given a lovely ride by Gryllsy,” said Mark Walker, training partner with Sam Bergerson, after the pair recorded their ninth win in nine days.

“The horses at both stables, Matamata and Riccarton, are going really well, and it’s a credit to Sam, Reece (Trumper) and Hunter (Durrant) and all the staff.

“It was good to see She Suits Herself salute, after already measuring up at black type level. She’s going to develop into a nice staying mare, especially as she matures into next season as a four-year-old.”

In addition to training winners at Riccarton, Te Aroha, Matamata, and Ashburton, Walker & Bergerson included two wins on Champions Day at Ellerslie (7 March), where Lara Antipova (Russian Revolution) won the $550,000 Sistema Stakes (Gr. 1, 1200m) to recorded the 103rd Group One win for Te Akau, Top Shelf (Savabeel) won the $80,000 Elsdon Park Rating 75 1600 metres, while Belle Cheval (Savabeel) finished second in the $4m NZB Kiwi (Restricted Listed, 1500m), and runners for the stable won $1.73 million in prize money at the meeting.

Bred and owned by Karyn Fenton-Ellis MNZM, She Suits Herself is a daughter of stakes' winner and three times Group One placed sire Savile Row (Makfi), and the first foal out of Sleepygirl.

Grand-dam Al Bayan is by Zabeel (Sir Tristram), the leading sire of stakes winners to stand in New Zealand, while third dam Foreign Copy (Bold Venture) produced Adelaide Cup (Gr. 1, 3200m) winner Cronus (Zabeel), who also won three Group Two and two Group Three races, and Group Two & Group Three winner Pravda (Zabeel), a talented staying mare. 

It is also the family of Champion 3YO Filly in Australia, Samantha Miss (Redoute’s Choice), who included victories in the VRC Oaks (Gr. 1, 2500m), Flight Stakes (Gr. 1, 1600m), and Champagne Stakes (Gr. 1, 1600m). 

She Suits Herself was strapped by Mahesh Kumble. 

Photo credit - Kenton Wright - www.raceimages.co.nz