A Breednet' One To Watch' following a fast-finishing win over 1200m at Newcastle on March 30, the Kris Lees-trained filly I Say Hello came from near the tail of the field to score a dramatic win in an action-packed Benchmark 72 over 1300m at Hawkesbury on Wednesday.
Hugh Bowman can take a bow here. While some of the better fancies were running into dead-ends in a roughhouse final 300 metres, Bowman darted back to the rails on I Say Hello, and it was the winning move. The daughter of Iffraaj (GB) sliced through with an uninterrupted passage to defeat Calgary Queen (Real Impact) by a half-length with Twice As Special (Testa Rossa) the same distance back in third.
The heavily backed favourite Juan Diva (Snitzel) was stopped in her tracks at the 250m mark and was eased out of the race by James McDonald.
I Say Hello advances her record to three wins and a second from four starts with earnings of $61,755 and may have earned a shot at the Group III James Carr Stakes (1400m) for 3yo fillies at Randwick on Saturday week.
Carrying the all-navy colours of Coolmore Stud, I Say Hello was a $280,000 purchase by Anthony Penfold out of the Rich Hill Stud draft at Karaka in 2019.
The daughter of Iffraaj (GB)is the second winner from as many to race out of the Group 1 WRC Thorndon Mile and Group 1 Te Aroha JC New Zealand Thoroughbred Breeders' Stakes heroine Say No More (Pentire).
Danny O'Brien purchased Say No More's Vadamos colt for $45,000 at Karaka in 2020.
Say No More has a yearling filly by Satono Aladdin (JPN) and was covered by Ace High last spring.
