Chakvetadze returns serve
|
Amy Taylor urges Chakvetadze to the line at Eagle Farm (Noel Pascoe photo)
|
Chakvetadze passed her toughest test on Saturday winning her first metropolitan race for trainer Michael Nolan.
Named after Russian tennis player Anna Chakvetadze, the filly started as short-priced favourite and claimed a half length win in the Flexcorporation Handicap QTIS 3YO 1200m at Eagle Farm.
Ridden by apprentice Amy Taylor, Chakvetadze (F3 Taimazov-Gotha) stepped up to the metropolitan race after winning at Ipswich on debut by nearly seven lengths. She followed this win with another at Toowoomba by nearly eight lengths.
The run at Eagle Farm was her third career start and took her earnings to $66,000 for breeder and owner John Hooper.
Chakvetadze had to work harder in her city run forced to knuckle down in the final few strides as Mystical Knight (Glen Colless) ran home strongly to claim second place.
Brav ‘n’ Ample (Ryan Wiggins) finished a further length and three quarters behind in third place.
“She’s now won three out of three and we took her to Brisbane after Toowoomba and Ipswich runs and she measured up,” Nolan said after Chakvetadze’s win.
“Amy thought there was enough pace on to take the sit and was lucky enough that she could get her out at the right time and get her into some clear space.
“It was a good ride and the horse did the rest.
“She was probably getting a bit tired towards the end but it was the first time she has ever been over 1200m in her life and there was just a lot of improvement.”
Nolan has now sent the filly for a freshen up before returning for the summer.
“There are a couple of nice races over the summer that we’ll target,” Nolan said.
“She’s having a short break now and will be back for some of the QTIS races in December that are worth a bit of money including the Gold Edition Plate (1200m).
“She’ll be back for those sorts of races. We’re happy that we have a filly that is good enough to go in those types of races.”
Nolan picked up a double for the day with a win in the Essa Stone Handicap 1200m with Stood Up (Amy Taylor). The trainer marginally missed out on a treble when Little Stranger (Michael Palmer) came up short by short half a head in the Marwood Commercial Furniture Handicap 1500.
QUEENSLAND Racing web news: Claire Power – October 20
|
