The formidable record of the fairer sex in the Gr.1 Windsor Park Plate*  added a notable new heroine in the shape of Waikato Stud’s multiple Gr.1 winner Daffodil  (No Excuse Needed) on Saturday. 
   In all, seven garlands have been lifted in the event by the female kind since 2000 - with previous heroines here comprising Princess Coup, Seachange, Miss Potential and Hello Dolly. 
   On Saturday, however, all glory lay with Daffodil. 

Instructed to ride the horse quietly, Hayden Tinsley had the 2009 Australian Oaks winner positioned three off the fence with cover at the rear, before asking for improvement at the 600m. 
   Pulled widest of all coming into the straight, Daffodil unleashed a superb sprint to reel in the front runners, ultimately accounting for her nearest rival Sarrera (by Quest For Fame) at the line by a long neck, with Sterling Prince  (by Colombia) holding third a half-neck away. 
  Held on a slow rated track, Daffodil’s time for the 1600m feature was 1.39.78. 
   Trained by Kevin Gray, the 4YO mare will now be put aside for two days before returning to work for a possible fourth Gr.1 win in the third leg of the Hawke’s Bay Triple Crown, the Kelt Capital Stakes (WFA, 2040m). 
   Bred and owned by Garry and Mark Chittick, Daffodil collected the prize of New Zealand Bloodstock’s Filly of the Year last season, with her crowning glory for this award coming with her successful exploit in the Gr.1 New Zealand One Thousand Guineas (1600m). 
   Unlucky in her subsequent Gr.1 New Zealand Oaks attempt, Daffodil set about squaring the Oaks ledger with an attempt at the Gr.1 Australian Oaks, blasting rivals on this occasion with a 2-1/4 length win. 
   All told, Daffodil has landed seven wins (1200m-2400m) and five placings from 19 raceday outings. 
  An out and out Waikato Stud product, Daffodil is by Waikato Stud’s resident stallion No Excuse Needed (by Machiavellian) and is out of their O’Reilly mare, Spring a winner of two races. 
   To date, No Excuse Needed (ex Nawaiet by Zilzal) has attained a winners-to-runners ratio of 50.37 per cent, with his finest ambassadors to date are: Daffodil, Grand Dancer (Gr.3), Takeanotherchance (L), Miss Millbrook (L), Vincent Mangano (L) and Lesley Brook (L).  His fee this spring at Waikato is $12,000 (plus gst).
   Alternatively, Daffodil’s dam Spring, a half sister to the Gr.1 Ellerslie Sires’ Produce Stakes winner Good Faith (by Straight Strike), has produced the four named foals to race for the three winners in Daffodil, Spring Dancer (Danasinga), Rotorua (No Excuse Needed) and the 3YO placegetter, Savoy (Savabeel).
 
* Formerly the Stoneybridge Stakes

Permalink| Sep 21, 2009

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