Kiwi import Yonce has kept her unblemished record intact with a last-to-first victory over 1600m in the Vale Jack Styring Trophy at Flemington on Saturday.
Ciaon Maher and David Eustace-trained daughter of Proisir has now won all four of her starts since being privately purchased off a trial placing in New Zealand.
The four-year-old mare settled towards the rear of the field under John Allen and made a long sustained run to defeat her rivals, with three-quarters of a length to spare from runner-up Groovy Kinda Love.
“She was super. We were quite keen just to let the race unfold, get her comfortable and Johnny knows her really well,” Maher said.
“Just having the last crack at them being at Flemington and the mile was always going to suit her a lot better.
“Johnny did think that she felt the track last start, but it was beautiful today and she let down well.
“She seems to be ticking through the grades nicely and I think as she stretches out, she’ll only get better.
“When they’re in form like this and if she continues to please us at home we’ll keep ticking her along, spacing her runs.
“When they’re three-year-olds you can jump a few grades and jump into a black type race but as a four-year-old you have to let them go through their grades.”
Out of the Zabeel mare Ziva, Yonce was passed in as a yearling for $30,000 during the New Zealand Bloodstock Book 2 Sale from the Woburn Farm draft.
Prepared by Cambridge trainer Ross McCarroll, Yonce finished third in two trials and caught the eye of prominent Australian owner Ozzie Kheir.
"When I bought her, she ran third of four in a trial and everyone said 'Why would you buy her'? Kheir explained.
"Most people wouldn't have bought her on her trial and there was no one on her (bidding). I was actually looking at a horse that won the trial, but I just thought she (Yonce) travelled really well and I thought could have gone straight past her (the winner).
"It's been a great experience for all involved.”
Rich Hill Stud stallion Proisir, who is best known as the sire of star sprinter Levante, is represented by 22 yearlings at the forthcoming New Zealand Bloodstock National Yearling Sale, with eight in Book 1 and 14 in Book 2. – NZ Racing Desk
