Kiwi Mare Successful in Sydney

Kiwi mare Intimate Moment (NZ) (Dubawi) capped a stellar day for the kiwis in Sydney on Saturday claiming her maiden stakes victory in the last race on the card, the Group 3 A$150,000 Sir Percy Sykes Tribute Stakes (1900m).

Intimate Moment (NZ) winning the Group 3 Sir Percy Sykes Tribute Stakes.

The victory by the Karaka Premier Sale graduate came after feature victories by the New Zealand pair Tiger Tees (NZ) (Dubawi) in the Group 1 Galaxy Handicap and Criterion (NZ) (Sebring) in the Group 1 Rosehill Guineas.

Trained by former leading jockey Ron Quinton, Intimate Moment was a close fourth in the Group 3 Aspiration Stakes at her last start after winning her two previous starts.

Quinton’s apprentice rider Sam Clipperton continued his association with the mare and dropped his mount to near the tail of the field from an outside barrier draw.

Clipperton cut the corner on the four-year-old, on a Slow 7 track, and ascertained a clear passage.Leader Any Day Will Do (Any Given Saturday) had kicked clear of the field but Intimate Moment overhauled him over the concluding stages to win by three-quarters of a length, with fellow kiwi Epingle (NZ) (Pins) finishing third.

“She has had a wonderful preparation this time in,” commented Quinton. “She has had a lot of runs and she has just kept getting better every run.

“We weren’t convinced she would be strong at the 1900m, it was unknown territory. I said to young Sam (Clipperton) that ‘you have got to switch her off and get her to relax’, which he did.

“He was able to get her across from the outside barrier and relax behind horses, and took a few shortcuts along the way. I said our chance was to win the race in the last 50 metres which she done.

“At the 200m she still had plenty of ground to make up, the leader may have stopped a bit but at the 200m you rarely see them pick up that much ground, it was a pretty good win.

“She was a lovely yearling when we bought her. But she is quite a big filly and she took a little bit longer to mature up than we thought she would when we bought her. I kept saying to the owners ‘just be patient, she will come right.’

“This preparation has been marvellous for her and I think there are further things in store for her. She is going to go have a spell now and come back to be trained for the spring.”

Saturday’s victory was the fourth in the 15-start career of Intimate Moment who has earned A$193,245 for owners Mr A Stephenson, Mr P Webster, Noonan & Co Pty Ltd, Mr P D Alroe, Mr D J Kennedy, Mr M Newton, Mr A J Gardner & Mr B J Kennedy.

Bred by Warren Pegg, Intimate Moment is out of the stakes placed Gold Brose mare Gold Class, the dam of Listed winners Bonnie Mac (Thorn Park) and Gold Rum (Golan). Intimate Moment was the second horse by Dubawi out of a Gold Brose mare to win at Rosehill on Saturday, with Tiger Tees – a half-brother to Singapore star Super Easy - bred on the same cross.

David Lamond purchased Intimate Moment for $190,000 at the 2011 Karaka Premier Sale from Wentwood Grange.