The final race of Saturday’s ten-race Flemington card saw 5yo Deep Field mare Paradise City rewarded for her recent consistency, working home too well to record her first black type victory in the G3 Frances Tressady Stakes (1400m) for Peter Moody and Katherine Coleman.
Finishing second two starts back over the Flemington 1400m, the mare then headed to Pakenham to record a narrow win carrying a big weight before heading back to Flemington where punters sent her out at each way odds behind race favourite, and last year’s winner Wrote To Arataki (NZ).
From the outside gate in the field of ten, jockey Zac Spain jumped the mare away well before allowing her to drift back towards the tail, settling down with just three behind her.
In her usual role, Write To Arataki went forward to lead, with Queensland visitor Philia settling on her outside.
Into the home straight, Dean Yendall aboard the favourite started to quicken as she went for home.
Passing the 200m mark the leader was still clear with Zac Spain and Paradise City making up many lengths down to the outside, while Danny O’Brien’s grey import Sea What I See (IRE) also making up ground in the run to the line.
Getting the better of the favourite just before the line, Paradise City went on to claim her first black type victory, narrowly defeating Sea What I See with Wrote To Arataki holding on for third.
Recording her seventh win coupled with four placed efforts from 24 starts, Paradise City took her overall prizemoney haul to $433,550.
“She’s a lovely type of mare and is owned by a breeding operation in Trilogy Racing and Blue Gum Farm,” said Moody. “It’s important to get that Stakes win on board and strike while the iron’s hot with mares in form and it was a lovely ride, well executed, from Zac Spain.”
With stable jockey Luke Nolen currently out, Moody was more than happy to have Spain on Paradise City.
“He’s a no fuss, tradesman, part and parcel of the team,” said Moody. “He works in well besides Trumby (Luke Nolen) and he’s going to get a lot more opportunities in the next month while Trumby is probably up on his fishing boat up on the Murray.
“He’ll get back on Sheza Alibi courtesy of that ride too.”
When asked if he felt he could run down the leader, Spain was confident.
“I did,” said Spain. “She had been going really well. We just wanted to ride her with a bit of cover. If I had to go back to get that cover, sobeit. She travelled up really well and she let down super.”
“I galloped her on Tuesday. She galloped by herself because she’s a little bit quirky. We went out there, had a little look around at the grass and I couldn’t have been happier with her.
“When the barriers came out, I wasn’t so happy, but Pete and Kat had her in tremendous order and we got the job done.”
Bred by Esker Lodge Australia, & Partners, Paradise City was purchased by Trilogy Racing and CB Bloodstock from the Tyreel Stud draft at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale for $300,000.
One of three winners from four to the races out of the imported G1 Allan Robertson Championship-winning Kahal mare Chocolicious (SAF), who is also the dam of the G3 placed Fastnet Rock mare Notation, who is in turn the dam of Peter Snowden’s G3 Scarborough Stakes winner Memo (Capitalist).
After foaling Paradise City’s full brother the following season, Chocolicious has had an impeded breeding career, with the mare since sold to Quat Quatta Thoroughbreds for just $6,500 via the 2023 Inglis July (Late) Online Sale.
Covered by Darley’s Bivouac, the mare produced a colt that was sold at the 2025 Magic Millions National Weanling Sale by Attunga Stud, knocked down for $30,000 to Fernrigg Farm who then entered the colt in the 2026 Inglis Classic yearling sale before withdrawing him.
The mare foaled a colt by Darley’s G1 Newmarket Handicap winner Cylinder (Exceed And Excel) in the Spring, before being covered by the G2 Danehill Stakes winner Dalasan.
Interestingly, Paradise City was the second Australian stakes winner of the day out of a South African bred mare, joining the unbeaten Autumn Glow, winner of Saturday’s G2 Apollo Stakes (1400m) at Randwick.
Paradise City is the 43rd stakes winner for Newgate Farm’s former stallion Deep Field who was retired from stud duties in 2023 due to fertility issues.
Deep Field is also the sire of Torryburn Stud’s six -time G1 winner Voyage Bubble, the Hong Kong triple Crown winner is currently the highest, Australian bred prizemoney earner still racing.
