Winning Continues - Queen Rules

Well rated in front by jockey Matt Cameron, Our Drahma Queen (4 m Darci Brahma - Queen Cha Cha, by High Chaparral) gave cause for celebration despite the bleak conditions on Friday at New Plymouth.

In diminishing light, towards the end of a twilight meeting, Our Drahma Queen handled the rain-affected Dead6 footing better than her rivals in the Maiden 1400 metres and broke through at her fourth start for owners in the Fortuna Our Drahma Queen Syndicate (Mgr: John Galvin).

“It's been bleak down here,” reported Galvin, from the course. “The track actually held up quite well and it was a very nice win.

“Obviously, she had blinkers on for the first time and the race plan was to ride her positively. Either lead, or race in the first two or three and there was a bit of thinking in our minds that maybe she had been a bit lazy in her racing. So the instructions to Matt (Cameron) were to serve it up to her, so to speak.

“In the end she won with a bit in hand I think, so it's been a good learning curve for her and she should take good confidence from that and onwards and upwards,” said Galvin.

A half-sister to Futurity Stakes (Gr. 1, 1400m) winner Suavito (Thorn Park) and recent debut winner Sultan of Swing (Bachelor Duke), Our Drahma Queen indicated a win could be near when finishing third at her second start in a slick 1200 metres (1:09.4) at Taupo.

Like Suavito, who also won the Blamey Stakes (Gr. 2, 1600m), Matriarch Stakes (Gr. 2, 2000m) and Tesio Stakes (Gr. 3, 1600m), Our Drahma Queen may not be overly big but has plenty of heart and toughness and given her lineage is virtually guaranteed a commercial breeding future.

Galvin reflected on a setback that Our Drahma Queen had last season, which could have spelled the end of her racing career.

“Given where we've come from with this girl, after a year ago her racing prognosis didn't look particularly good, this has been a pretty good result.

“Although we never really diagnosed exactly what was wrong with her, but we just turned her out at Te Akau Stud and let Mother Nature do the work,” said Galvin.

Also savouring the win was Singaporean apprentice Ed Zac-Syed, who rides a majority of the track work aboard Our Drahma Queen and was there to strap her on the day.

Syed reported via text earlier in the day from the course: “I could shower in the rain and the water pressure would be very nice”.

Our Drahma Queen was purchased privately by David Ellis from Mana Park for $55,000.

It was the 32^nd victory of the season for trainers Stephen Autridge and Jamie Richards and sees them six wins clear in the premiership.

Photo credit - www.raceimages.co.nz