Single Gaze provided her Canberra-based trainer Nick Olive with an important milestone in his career when becoming his first Group 1 winner in the Vinery Stud S.
Ridden into a prominent position by Kathy O'Hara from the gate, the diminutive chestnut filly settled in second behind Self Esteem (Aus) in the early stages before temporarily losing her position mid-race as Valley Girl (NZ) and Sailing By (Aus) were keen to get involved up front. Always traveling strongly, however, Single Gaze tracked the leading pack as the tempo quickened on the bend and was asked to go and win her race by O'Hara as she straightened for home, and was given a clear run into the stretch three horses from the fence.
Valley Girl, who had posted an impressive effort on her previous start on home turf in the G1 New Zealand Derby, lay down a concerted challenge along the rail to hold on for second from the fast-finishing Happy Hannah, whose place in the line-up was confirmed on the scratching of ante-post favourite Jameka (Aus).
“I'm numb, I'm absolutely numb,” said Olive, who has won the Canberra trainers' title six times and has previously saddled a Group 1 place-getter in Australasian Oaks second Zenarta (Aus). “It's every trainer's dream to win a Group 1 and, it's funny, I've been so relaxed all week and came here today so confident and I couldn't understand why nobody wanted a bar of her.”
He added, “She's just a top filly, she keeps stepping up to the mark and is such a gutsy little filly.”
For winning rider O'Hara, who received a fine from the stewards for saluting before the crossing the line, it was a second Group 1 win, having steered Ofcourseican (Aus) (Mossman {Aus}) to glory in the 2012 Coolmore Classic.
She said, “It's so good to win a Group 1 on this horse. She is so small but she is such a trier. She did it tough and got a bit of cover mid-race but she is so strong.”
O'Hara also rode Single Gaze's dam, the three-time winner Redaluca's Gaze, whose first foal, Le Val (Aus) (Snitzel {Aus}), won the Listed GCTC Ken Russell Memorial Classic. She has an unraced 2-year-old filly named Red Heat (Aus) (Helenus {Aus}), as well as a yearling colt by Commands (Aus) and a colt foal by So You Think (NZ).
Saturday, Rosehill, Australia
VINERY STUD S.-G1, A$505,000, ATC, 3-26, 3yo, f, Open Set Weight, 2000mT, 2:03.03, Good.
1–&SINGLE GAZE, 56.0, f, 3, by Not a Single Doubt
1st Dam: Redaluca's Gaze, by Intergaze
2nd Dam: Crying in the Rain, by Sanction
3rd Dam: Maudlin, by Whiskey Road (USA)
(A$70,000 Ylg 2014 MM Gold Coast Yearling Sale) O-N Olive,
M P Hay, D E Tout, W P Oxford, M Notaras, R P Keeley, P
Kouvelis, N Keeley & Redbank North Pty Ltd; B-Mr JA
Middleton NSW; T-N J Olive; J-Ms K O'Hara; A$305,000.
Lifetime Record: 13-3-3-2, A$1,178,300. *1/2 to Le Val (Aus)
(Snitzel {Aus}), SW-Aus, $257,300. Werk Nick Rating: A++.
Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Valley Girl (NZ) , 56.0, f, 3, Mastercraftsman (Ire)–Leigh
Valley (NZ), by Bianconi (USA). O-Wentwood Grange (Mgr: D
D Hawkins); B-D, L & S Hawkins & Llanhennock Trust,
Waikato, NZ; T-Ms D Logan; J-Emma Stent; A$100,000.
3–Happy Hannah, 56.0, f, 3, More Than Ready (USA)–Absolute
Joy (NZ), by Zabeel (NZ). O-Strawberry Hill Stud (Mgr: J D
Singleton), Miss H Singleton; B-Strawberry Hill Stud NSW; T-P
& P Snowden; J-B Shinn; A$50,000.
Margins: 0.8 len, 1.0 len, 1.5 len. Odds: 11.00, 8.50, 6.50.
Also Ran: Self Esteem, Capella (NZ), Honesta, Asinara, Risque (NZ), Believe, Ambience, Stay With Me, Heartlings, Sailing By, Lonely Orphan. Scratched: Jameka (Aus).
Click here for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com five-generation catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO.
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