Promising Future for Indarra (NZ)

Talented three-year-old filly Indarra (NZ) (Stravinsky) capped a consistent run of form with victory in the A$120,000 Listed City of Greater Dandenong Stakes (1400m) at William Hill Park Hillside (Sandown) on Saturday.

Indarra (NZ) triumphant in the Listed City of Greater Dandenong Stakes.

Indarra entered the race having placed in all three of her career starts for trainer Robert Smerdon. Her debut run saw her place third in the Listed St Albans Stakes before finishing runner-up on two occasions this season, including in the Listed Lexus Hybrid Plate on Melbourne Cup day at Flemington.

Smerdon holds high hopes for the daughter of Stravinsky’s next preparation with an autumn Oaks campaign in Adelaide a possible target.

“Here we are at the end of the spring carnival having had only a couple of runs,” Smerdon said. “She’ll go to the paddock now, so it might be a blessing.

“In the long-term we’ll look to the autumn and we’re pretty confident we can stretch her out to 2000m.”

Having his first ride on Indarra, Mark Zahra jumped her from barrier 7 to settle three deep mid-field. Picking up at the 300m, race-favourite Indarra prevailed in a four-way battle to win by a neck over Mihalic (Hard Spun) with Antelucan (Domesday) in third place.

Saturday’s win increased Indarra’s stakes to A$114,210 for owner Mr P S Sly.

The daughter of Stravinsky was purchased at the 2014 Karaka Premier Sale for $150,000 by Matchem Racing from Gordon Cunningham’s Curraghmore.

Bred by Curraghmore and JA & M Maronde, Indarra is out of Zabeel mare Clarissa and is a half-sister to stakes winner Holy Moly (Holy Roman Emperor), winner of the Listed Soliloquy Stakes.

Stravinsky has five horses entered in the NZB Ready to Run Sale which commences this week (18 & 19 November).

There was more success for kiwis at Sandown with Group 1 winning Karaka graduate Famous Seamus (NZ) (Elusive City) victorious in the Group 3 Kevin Hefferman Stakes and kiwi-bred stayer Who Shot Thebarman (NZ) (Yamanin Vital) taking out the A$300,000 Group 2 Quayclean Zipping Classic.

Saturday’s results are a continuation of the great form Karaka and kiwi horses have been in this spring, having already collected seven Group 1 wins during the Melbourne Spring Carnival.