Local trainer Anna Furlong played a starring role at Riccarton on Saturday with a winning treble, headlined by Betty Spaghetti’s first black-type success in the Listed Daphne Bannan Memorial Great Easter Stakes (1400m).
It was a deserved breakthrough for the Stratum Star mare, who had previously finished second in the Listed NZB Insurance Stakes (1400m), fourth in the Listed Dunedin Guineas (1500m), Warstep Stakes (2000m) and Hazlett Stakes (1400m), and fifth in the Listed NZB Airfreight Stakes (1600m).
There had been a few ups and downs in Betty Spaghetti’s five-year-old season leading into Saturday’s $80,000 feature, from the highs of a close fourth in the Hazlett Stakes and an impressive Ashburton victory over subsequent Southern Alps Challenge (1600m) winner Third Decree to the lows of a last-start 12th in the Gr.3 Cuddle Stakes (1600m) after racing too keenly around Trentham.
But she was back on her home soil on Saturday and right back at her brilliant best. Ridden by Billy Jacobson – who brought up a Riccarton treble of his own after previous victories with Malfy Rosa and Canasta – Betty Spaghetti settled near the back of the field as Conor O’Ceirin set a strong pace and opened up a big lead through the middle stages of the race.
Betty Spaghetti still had only a couple of rivals behind her at the home turn, but Jacobson brought her to the outside, got her balanced up and let her rip.
Conor O’Ceirin produced another kick in the straight and took plenty of catching, but The Radiant One gradually clawed her way past him along the inside in the final 200m while Betty Spaghetti and Tumuch stormed home out wide.
Betty Spaghetti and Tumuch hit the lead together with less than 50m to run, and Betty Spaghetti lunged at the finish line and edged out Tumuch by a half-head.
Bought by her part-owner Robert Dennis for just $20,000 from Book 1 of Karaka 2021, Betty Spaghetti has now had 21 starts for six wins, six placings and $233,160 in stakes.
Her Great Easter Stakes victory was enormously satisfying for Furlong, who also saddled Saturday’s Polytrack Racing Season Maiden (1400m) winner Canasta and Racecourse Hotel & Motor Lodge Dash (1000m) winner Penvose Lad.
“It’s been a great day for the stable, which is a big thrill and really rewarding for all of our team,” Furlong said.
“It was so good to see Betty Spaghetti pick up that black-type win today. She’s been a fantastic mare all the way through her career and really deserved to pick up a win at that level. It meant a lot to see her do it with such an outstanding performance today.
“There isn’t much more that she has to do now in this preparation, and there aren’t that many suitable races around for her at this time of the season, so I don’t think she’s likely to do a lot more this time in. She can head out to the spelling paddock on a winning note.”
By Richard Edmunds, LOVERACING.NZ News Desk
