Photo: Race Images South
Powerful filly Pivotal Ten (Ten Sovereigns) was nothing short of sensational when taking out Sunday’s Listed Liquorland Gore Guineas (1335m).
The daughter of Ten Sovereigns has established herself as the three-year-old to beat in the South Island after scoring a winning hattrick this preparation, including a gusty showing to down Lil Zena in the Listed NZB Insurance Stakes (1400m) at Wingatui on Boxing Day.
Samantha Wynne, who trains and rides the filly on race-day, had every faith that a return to the firm surface wouldn’t be a disadvantage and punters agreed, closing her favourite at $2.70 ahead of Northern raider Sesimbra.
Jumping from barrier five, Wynne found herself in a three-wide position early outside of Alberton Angel and Rapid, deciding to press forward and use the filly’s high cruising speed. Pivotal Ten had much of the three-year-old field chasing at the 600m, and by the home turn, she was off and gone, putting a six-length margin on Show Pony and Mamaea, who filled the minor placings.
Wynne was delighted returning to scale, praising her rising star who had handled the occasion despite showing signs of being in season.
“She blew me away to be honest, I knew she had improved at home, but you don’t know until you get them here,” she said. “She’s really starting to switch on now, she didn’t know what she was doing before but now she’s getting the hang of it.
“They made it hard for me, keeping me three-wide early on and we had to do a bit of work, but when we were turning in, she felt amazing. I’m so grateful to have a horse like her in the stable.
“She was definitely toey today, but she’s getting to know what it’s all about, a new track and new surroundings. She’s taken it well and I’ll look after her, making sure she gets to the next race in good order.
“I’d just like to thank the owner for the opportunity and all the staff at home, I couldn’t do it without them.”
The Gore feature is the first of three lucrative southern Guineas races, with the next being the Listed ILT Ascot Park Hotel Southland Guineas (1400m), run at Ascot Park on February 15.
Wynne indicated the filly will remain in Southland in the next fortnight, rather than returning to her base at Ohoka in between races.
“She’ll always come first so she has to be 100% going into it, we’re starting down to give her every chance,” she said.
“It’s very exciting and it’s what it’s all about, I couldn’t be happier.”
Pivotal Ten was bred by Valachi Downs and sold through their dispersal sale in 2022, where Colin Wightman purchased the filly for $15,000. In six starts, she has recorded four wins and just shy of $130,000 in stakes earnings.
Earlier in the meeting, Wynne had also partnered Kellanzor to win the Hokonui Suzuki/Advance Agriculture (1335m), another promising filly in her care.
