Flemington has been a happy hunting ground for New Zealand-bred mare Tarvue, who produced another big performance at the Melbourne track in Saturday’s A$80,000 TAB We’re On (2000m).
The Benchmark 78 handicap was Tarvue’s fifth start at Flemington. She has now won twice at the course, having also been successful over 1800m on New Year’s Day, and she was a narrowly beaten second over 2500m on January 17.
Little went Tarvue’s way when she finished a last-start sixth at Caulfield on January 31, but the John Sadler-trained mare returned to Flemington on Saturday and got her campaign back on the right track.
Tarvue was ridden by apprentice jockey Luke Cartwright and took up a handy position in sixth along the rail behind a strong early speed.
Cartwright got the five-year-old off the fence coming down the side of the track, then swooped around the outside to challenge for the lead at the top of the home straight.
Tarvue went clear by a couple of lengths with more than 300m still to run, then found a little bit more to turn back the challenge of the late-finishing Fiorenot by a length.
Cartwright was pleased to make amends after riding Tarvue at Caulfield last time out.
“Very happy,” Cartwright said. “I know what ability this horse has got. I sat on her at Flemington here and she won, and then her run for second over 2500m, that was another gallant effort. At Caulfield, I just made a mistake on her. I can’t thank the ownership group and John Sadler enough for keeping me on the mare, because I know she goes really good. Today it worked out perfect, she had a nice draw, wasn’t cluttered up and I was able to let her use her big stride from about the 700m.
“When she’s able to use her big stride, she can let her really good turn of foot go. Sads has got a good staying mare on his hands.”
Sadler is now keen to test Tarvue in black-type company.
“I would say we’ll go to the Torney Cup (Listed, 2500m), the Moonee Valley race at Pakenham (on March 6),” he said.
“Apart from her very first run this time in, all her runs have been really good. I thought Luke rode her very badly at Caulfield last Saturday week and then he came out and won three afterwards, but he put his hand up and said he shouldn’t have allowed her to get in on the fence, or should have led in what was a mediocre-pace race. That’s gone, we put him back on, and he got the job done.”
Tarvue was bred by Rosemont Stud and is by Westbury Stud’s Gr.1 Victoria Derby (2500m) and Rosehill Guineas (2000m) winner Tarzino, who has quickly made his name as a sire of classic horses – such as Derby winners Jungle Magnate and Willydoit and Oaks winner Gypsy Goddess – but has also been represented by this season’s twice Group One-placed sprinter Tomodachi.
The dam of Tarvue is the Japanese-bred Admire Moon mare Vamoose, a half-sister to the Gr.1 Caulfield Cup (2400m) winner Admire Rakti.
Mapperley Stud offered Tarvue in Book 1 of Karaka 2022, where Vue International Pty Ltd bought her for $25,000. Tarvue has now had 19 starts for five wins, three second placings and A$239,200 in stakes. – NZ Racing Desk.
