Photo: Kenton Wright (Race Images)
Promising filly Real Class (Vadamos) has put herself firmly into $1 million Gr.1 Al Basti Equiworld Dubai New Zealand Oaks (2400m) calculations following her victory in the Gr.2 Sir Patrick Hogan Stakes (2000m) at Ellerslie on New Year’s Day.
The daughter of Vadamos settled midfield for jockey Rory Hutchings, who elected to improve his filly three-wide from the 800m mark and hit the lead within 200m. Her rivals were looming on the turn, but Real Class was able to show her tenacity and repelled their advances to win by three-quarters of a length over the fast-finishing Bella Montagna.
Real Class is accruing an enviable record, having now won two of her four career starts, and was well backed by punters on Wednesday following her third placing in the Gr.2 Eight Carat Classic (1600m) at the Auckland track last week.
Trainer Jenna Mahoney, who races the filly with her partner Grant Dixon, is excited about Real Class’s prospects following the win.
“It was a top ride from Rory,” she said. “It is nice to have another handy one in the stable.”
Mahoney is now eyeing a path towards the New Zealand Oaks at Trentham in March and believes the distance is ideal for her filly.
“She should love the 2400m, the further she goes the better she will get I think,” she said.
Bred by Greg Tomlinson under his Nearco Stud banner, Real Class is out of Group One performer Mill Duckie, who herself finished 10th in the same race in 2009 before going on to win the Listed Sunline Vase (2100m) and place in the New Zealand Oaks for trainer Richard Collett.
She also added two Gr.2 Rich Hill Mile (1600m) placings to her record as well as placings in the Gr.1 Thorndon Mile (1600m), Gr.3 Eagle Technology Stakes (1600m) and Gr.3 Trentham Stakes (2100m).
She has gone on to produce stakes performers Righteous Mate and High Class, as well as Real Class, with Mahoney training High Class to a runner-up result in the 2015 running of the Listed Soliloquy Stakes (1400m).
It was this association that led to Mahoney acquiring Real Class.
“Because we had a lot to do with the family, we got offered her to carry on with and we decided to give her a go off Gordon Cunningham from Curraghmore,” Mahoney said.
While Mahoney is looking forward to a potentially lucrative autumn campaign with her filly, she said there has already been interest from foreign buyers.
“There has been a fair bit of interest from Australia, so we will see what happens,” she said.
