A fourth Group 1 for the David Payne-trained Montefilia who claimed the biggest scalp of all, Verry Elleegant, in Saturday’s $700,000 Group 1 Ranvet Stakes (2000m) at Rosehill.
Ridden By Jason Collett, Montifilia had first run of Verry Elleegant, hitting the front 400m out with the James McDonald staying in touch on the champion.
Try as she might Verry Elleegant could not close the gap as Kermadec’s four-year-old daughter kept up a relentless gallop to a two lengths triumph over the reigning Horse Of The Year with Angel Of Truth a further four and three-quarter lengths back in third.
Purchased by her trainer for $130,000 from the Tyreel draft at the Magic Millions, Montefilia advances her record to six wins, a second, and four thirds from 18 starts with earnings of $2,371,525.
“She is just a different horse. We are going for the Queen Elizabeth now, definitely,” Payne said.
“She is a special horse. I’ll look after her. I want the Melbourne Cup with her later hopefully.
I knew, you’re not going to get past her. I just said, whatever you do, don’t let (James) McDonald close you up. She is much stronger and this is only her second run back so I think she will improve a bit as well.
“I must be honest, I didn’t think much of her at first. We ran her at Newcastle and she won and then we ran her again and she ran fourth (in the Group III Baillieu Handicap). When I realised she was good was when she beat the older horses here over 1500 as a two-year old.
“This is special because Verry Elleegant is the Horse of the Year so I wonder what it makes her (Montefilia) now. She must be up there.”
Montefilia was pinhooked by Dean Harvey's Baystone Farm as a weanling for $62,000 out of the Tyreel Stud draft at the 2018 Inglis Great Southern Sale.
A half-sister to stakes-placed best For What (Shalaa), Montefilia is the best of four winners from the stakes-placed Shirocco mare Bana Wu (GB).
Bana Wu (GB) was an accomplished racemare. She was consigned to the 2010 Tattersalls October Yearling Sale, where she was bought back by the vendor for 11,000gns. A year earlier, she was bought back for 5,000gns at the Tattersalls December Foal Sale.
In 2018, Tyreel Stud consigned Bana Wu (GB) to the 2018 Inglis Australian Broodmare Sale, where Sean Duke purchased her for $92,500.
She was carrying the stakes-placed Shalaa (IRE) filly Nice For What at the time.
Bana Wu (GB) has a 2yo filly by Ribchester (IRE). After missing in 2019, and slipping in 2020, Bana Wu (GB) was covered by Darley Stud’s Kermadec last season.
