Date posted March 9, 2010 | Posted by Michele Cullen | Filed under
More Than Ready,
Premium Updates,
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Staff FavouritesMelbourne, Vic (March 9th, 2010) - The darling of South Australian racing Augusta Proud bounced back to her brilliant best at Morphettville on Monday when she steamed home to win the $100,400 Group 3 RN Irwin Stakes (1100m).
A former outstanding juvenile who completed the Magic Millions Adelaide and Gold Coast Classic double, Augusta Proud is one of the state’s most popular racehorses and her and regular rider Clare Lindop received wild applause when they returned victorious.
Trained by the state’s leading horseman, Leon Macdonald along with the mare’s jubilant connections, they were all smiles in the winner’s stall to see the bonny four-year-old back to her best.
“She was a great two-year-old and once she got up to open company she’s found it a bit hard,” Macdonald told Greg Irvine after the easy win.
“With a lot of speed in the race today I thought she’d be able to come off their backs and that’s what she did.”
“As soon as she came off their heels I was very happy.”
“She’s a good filly. She always has been.”
Augusta Proud
The win was timely considering the four-year-old mare was a graduate of the 2007 Magic Millions Adelaide Yearling Sale. The 2010 edition of the sale, to be conducted at the complex just a stone’s throw from the winning post, gets away today at 11am (SA time) today.
Macdonald said Augusta Proud would get a chance for a valuable Group One win with her next run most likely to be in the Group One Fillies & Mares Classic at the track later in the month. Considering she could have been yours at the sale for just $50,000, Augusta Proud has done a great job. She’s won eight races from just 22 starts and earned over $1.688 million.
A daughter of outstanding Southern Halo sire More Than Ready, who has 29 yearlings consigned to the William Inglis Easter sale, Augusta Proud is the only winner to date for her dam, the winning and city placed Langfuhr mare Kadasha.
However, the family does include three Group One Classic winners - Florida Derby winner Mercedes Won, New Zealand Oaks winner She’s Country and Canadian Oaks heroine Menedict.
