New Zealand-bred mare Our Red Morning enjoyed a soft kill at Sandown on Wednesday over 1300m when scoring by just over a length in the hands of Craig Williams as she made it three wins in succession for trainer Greg Eurell.
Sent out the $1.65 favourite for Wednesday’s assignment, the daughter of Redwood sat outside the pacemaker Fiasco Tess and responded well to Williams’ urgings to record a comfortable victory.
Despite the win, Eurell believes the mare will be better suited when ridden off the speed in a race with more tempo.
“It was certainly a very creditable win, but I don’t think that’s her style of racing. It is good to find these things out and still get away with it,” Eurell said.
“Ideally the Let’s Elope (Gr.2, 1400m) is pencilled in for her as her next run at this stage. You’d like to think from that you could keep stepping up in distance and it will be very interesting to see how far she will run. A mile certainly won’t worry her. Beyond that will be interesting but I wouldn’t discount it one bit.”
Winning jockey Craig Williams was also impressed with Our Red Morning, whom he had ridden previously at the trials.
“I love the fact that Greg is developing this mare,” Williams said. “She is still a very raw commodity, which we saw pre-race (when temperamental on the way to the barriers) but we saw her ability in the race and she has just got so much more to offer.
“I love the way that she is winning and learning more about it. She is going to be a really exciting mare come the spring and in years to come.”
Our Red Morning has now had six starts for three wins and a placing, banking A$132,809 in stakes.
She was bred by Craig Dawson’s Stirling Bloodstock, who raced her for her first two starts in New Zealand. Trained by Shaun and Emma Clotworthy and originally named Red In The Morning, she raced twice in January for a third at Matamata and an eighth at Te Rapa.
Our Red Morning has made a big impression since crossing the Tasman, with Dawson retaining an ownership interest in the filly.
“She was a very good find over in New Zealand,” Eurell said. “I was over there for Karaka and bumped into one of our clients, who’s been very good to us over the years. He seems to have sent another good one across.”
By Westbury Stud stallion Redwood, Our Red Morning is one of two winners from two foals to race out of the Keeper mare Morena. Herself a two-time winner, Morena is a half-sister to the Singapore Stewards’ Cup (1400m) winner Titanium.
Stirling Bloodstock bought Morena for just $7,500 from the 2015 National Weanling, Broodmare & Mixed Bloodstock Sale at Karaka. – NZ Racing Desk
