Kiwi Filly Shows Her Best Trick in Queensland

Kiwi three-year-old filly No Tricks (NZ) (Savabeel) is now a stakes winner on both sides of the Tasman after winning the A$125,000 Listed Daybreak Lover Stakes (1800m) at Gold Coast on Saturday.

No Tricks (NZ) triumphant in the Listed Daybreak Lover Stakes.

This was No Tricks’ third win from her 14-start career, with her first nine starts taking place in New Zealand under former Te Akau Racing trainer Jason Bridgman.

After claiming her first stakes win in the Listed Warstep Stakes, the last race in NZB’s Southern Filly of the Year Series, the Savabeel filly flew to Australia to be based in Wayne Walters stable. Running fourth in her last start, the Listed Ipswich Cup, No Tricks was a competitor in the Group 1 Queensland Oaks, her third Australian race-day appearance.

“It was a very good run,” commented Walters. “She has been going alright for the last few starts, improving all the time, and has settled in well over here - no drama.

“She has gone into holiday mode now and will re-assess her when she returns.”

Beginning the race quickly from barrier 2 for jockey Brenton Avdulla, No Tricks settled in sixth position, travelling one off the rail from Rising Luck (Bradbury’s Luck). She made a move nearing the turn for home, entering the straight in the centre of the track.

Storming through the field in the final stages, No Tricks fought for the lead, hitting the front at the 200m and swept to victory by a long neck over Right or Wrong (Manhattan Rain) and Court’s Star (Court Command), who finished in second and third place respectively.

Bred and owned by Paul Smithies’ Monovale Holdings, who offered her at the 2013 Karaka Premier Sale, the three-year-old filly has now earned A$150,886 in prizemoney. The current racing season has been a fruitful one for Smithies who also bred Group 1 winners Puccini (NZ) (Encosta de Lago) and Platinum Witness (California Dane), both graduates of Karaka.

The daughter of leading New Zealand sire Savabeel is out of the winning mare Mezaire (Al Akbar), a half-sister to stakes-winner Amazing Charm (Amazing Dancer), winner of the Listed Invercargill Gold Cup.

No Tricks was one of three New Zealand-bred winners at Gold Coast’s races on Saturday with Addictive Habit (NZ) (Colombia) winning the Listed Southbank Insurance Brokers Open Handicap and Karaka graduate Elusive Catch (NZ) (Elusive City) winning the Carlton Mid Class 6 Plate.