Photo: Reg Ryan (Racing Photos)
Cambridge Stud stallion Almanzor played a starring role at Flemington on Anzac Day, siring the quinella in the A$200,000 Listed VRC St Leger (2800m) with his three-year-old daughters Ahuriri and Alma Rise.
Ahuriri became only the ninth filly to win the VRC St Leger since 1930, and the first since fellow Kiwi-bred filly Exceptionally back in 2010.
Both Ahuriri and Alma Rise were rated among the favourites for Thursday’s staying test, with Alma Rise just shading her rival for favouritism at $3.30 after showing real promise with a win and a second in her only two previous appearances.
Alma Rose enjoyed a comfortable run in second on the outside of the front-running Ganbare, who was allowed to set a sedate speed out in front. Ahuriri settled in fifth and one off the fence, well within striking distance all the way around the Flemington circuit.
Alma Rose cruised up alongside the leader at the top of the straight and clearly had him covered, but then Damian Lane angled Ahuriri out to the centre of the track and sent her into full flight. She bounded to the lead and went clear, opening up an impressive winning margin of two and a quarter lengths over Alma Rise.
It was the second win of an eight-start career for the Chris Waller-trained Ahuriri, who has also collected three minor placings and has banked A$173,125 in stakes. She was stepping down in class on Thursday, having finished eighth in the Gr.3 Adrian Knox Stakes (2000m) in her previous start.
“It all clicked into place for her,” Lane said. “It was obviously great placement by Chris Waller and his team. You can always be confident, when you throw your leg over these horses, that they’re fit and well. She was that and she handled herself really well.
“I was mindful that the two to beat would probably sit first and second in the run. I thought the leader may go a more genuine tempo, but I didn’t want to be giving too big a head start. I was able to get into a great position, only two or three lengths off the speed. That really helped me get into the race from the corner, and her turn of foot was just way too good.
“She’s got real stamina. She’s not very big, but she’s got a lot of heart and that’ll take her a long way.”
Ahuriri was bred by Helen-Gaye and Graham Bax and is out of the Darci Brahma mare Mackenzie Kate, who is a half-sister to the Bax-bred triple Group One winner Lucia Valentina.
Ahuriri was a $210,000 purchase at Karaka 2022 by Chris Waller Racing in partnership with Helen-Gaye and Graham Bax’s daughter Kylie.
Thursday’s result continued a strong season for Almanzor, who has now been represented by 14 black-type performers across New Zealand and Australia since August 1. That list is headed by the Gr.1 Sydney Cup (3200m) quinella of Circle Of Fire and Athabascan, along with fellow Group winners Zabmanzor, Positivity, Moonlight Magic and Sudbina. Almanzor is also the sire of this season’s unbeaten and stakes-winning two-year-old Nucleozor.
Positivity and Qali Al Farrasha finished second and third in last month’s Gr.1 New Zealand Oaks (2400m) and are entered for this Saturday’s Gr.1 Australasian Oaks (2000m) at Morphettville. – NZ Racing Desk.
