A Familiar Win in the G3 Westbury Classic
5 March 2015
Seasoned stakes performer Diademe (NZ) (Savabeel) won the Group 3 $70,000 Westbury Classic (1400m) for the second time yesterday at Ellerslie Racecourse.
 |
Diademe (NZ) winner of the Group 3 Westbury Classic. |
A winner of six races from her 23 starts, Diademe first won the Group 3 Westbury Classic during Auckland Cup week in 2013 with Opie Bosson riding. This is her third stakes win, with her highest achievement winning the Group 2 Cal Isuzu Stakes for trainers Murray Baker and Andrew Forsman.
“It was a very brave win,” commented Forsman. “She drew well and Opie (Bosson) got her in a good spot. There were a couple that came at her hard late so just wrapped that she held on, she is a very brave mare.
“We were quite confident going into the race, it was a suitable race for her and she was reasonably well in at what was practically a set weight race.”
Diademe was hunted out of barrier 5 to go forward in the early stages by Opie Bosson to sit amongst the initial leaders. She tracked second-runner Fix (NZ) (Iffraaj) throughout the race to find a clear run as they came off the turn.
Racing three-wide down the straight, Diademe lengthened her stride to power-on, passing front-runners Fix and Goldminer (NZ) (Gold Mine), and taking victory by a short neck. Pussy O’Reilly (NZ) (O’Reilly) and Atacama (NZ) (Pentire) ranged up in the final moments to finish second and third place.
“She will head towards the Breeders’ Stakes at Te Aroha now, the mile Group 1 for fillies and mares. She has done everything now but win a Group 1 so that is what we are going to try and achieve before she goes to stud,” said Forsman.
The six-year-old mare has earned $290,521 to date in prizemoney for owners Scott Richardson Bloodstock.
The Savabeel filly was purchased at the 2010 Premier Sale for $50,000 by Scott Richardson Bloodstock from Waikato Stud.
Bred by Garry Chittick, Diademe is out of unraced mare Bling (O’Reilly), who is a full-sister to the dam of Group 1 winner Sacred Star (Flying Spur). She is a half-sister to Roop All (Pins), placegetter in the Listed Lexus Hybrid Plate in Australia.