On the eve of the Karaka Yearling Sale, Westbury Stud’s Reliable Man struck twice at Flemington.
After Annavisto put a space on her rivals in the Group III Furphy Frances Tressady Stakes, Inspirational Girl overpowered the outstanding Zaaki (GB) in the Group II Blamey Stakes.
Making her first start since finishing third in the Group III Tesio Stakes at Moonee Valley last October, the 4yo Reliable Man mare Annavisto turned the Frances Tressady Stakes into a walk in the park.
Given a positive ride by Jamie Kah, the Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr-trained mare streaked clear at the 250m to defeat the Epaulette mare Vespertine by three and a quarter lengths with the Declaration Of War mare Electric Girl a further two lengths back in third.
Price said Annivisto appreciated the sting out of the ground.
“As soon as she feels the hard tracks she tends to jar up a little bit. The rain was beautiful for her,” Price said.
“It was a dominant win. I thought she might be a bit vulnerable first-up because she’s a mare that has taken a long time to furnish and hold weight.
“She tends to bang off a lot of nervous energy. She needs to progress and win better group races.
“I think she’s out of a Tavistock mare. and they burn plenty of nervous energy. As a young horse they’re ‘ribby’ and you don’t have to go too far in her prep then put ‘em out.”
Bred by part-owner Greg Tomlinson, Annavisto is the best of three winners from as many starters for the stakes-winning Tavistock mare, Avisto, a half-sister to Listed Morphettville Guineas winner Celtic Tiger (O’Reilly).
Making her third start for Danny O’Brien, Inspirational Girl was back in the winner’s circle for the first time since the Group 1 Railway Stakes in November 2020.
Triple Group 1 winner Zaaki (GB) looked set for an easy win in the Group II Blamey Stakes before Damian Lane came sweeping down the outside on Inspirational Girl.
The daughter of Reliable Man defeated Zaaki (Leroidesanimaux) by a short-neck with a further one and a quarter length back to Corner Pocket (Toranado) in third.
“It looked a bit sticky for a while,” O’Brien said.
“She probably took a bit closer position than what we thought, and because of that, she was three back on the fence and in a sticky spot. She got out in time, and she has run down a top class horse in Zaaki, which is very hard to do.
“She hasn’t done a lot of racing over the last year and a half. She is a mare who should improve out of this as well as what she did out of the first up run. Two weeks to the All-Star Mile is just a perfect step for her. She’ll of had the two runs and third up into the All Star Mile now that she gets her start in it. We’ll certainly have no excuses for her on All-Star Mile Day.
“She is by Reliable Man. She hasn’t been exposed to a lot of soft tracks but Miami Bound, who we had who was by Reliable Man, was an elite wet tracker. We were hopeful she would get through it, and I am sure she has handled it well.”
The Bob and Sandra Peters colour bearer advances her record to ten wins, two seconds, and a third from 15 starts with earnings of $1,316,625.
It was a timely win for Jamieson Park, who offer a Navy Flag (USA) half-sister to Inspirational Girl on the opening day at Karaka (lot 116).
Bred by Jamieson Park, Inspirational Girl was a $190,000 purchase by John Chalmers Bloodstock from the Jamieson Park draft at the 2017 NZB Premier Yearling Sale.
She is a half-sister to three winners led by the Listed VRC All Victorian Series Final winner Ruettiger (Duporth) out of the Zabeel mare Be Inspired, a sister to the Group III MRC Naturalism Stakes winner Rainbow Styling and a half-sister to Group III ATC Birthday Card Stakes winner Zingaling (Redoute's Choice).
