Switched back to the 1400m of the Group II Lexus Tristarc Stakes proved no problem for Godolphin’s top-class mare Colette after a foot abscess interrupted her Caulfield Cup preparation.
With Damian Lane in the saddle, the 5yo daughter of Hallowed Crown came with a sweeping run down the centre of the track to defeat the 4yo Frankel mare Steinem by one and a quarter length with the same distance back to the 4yo Dissident mare Aidensfield in third.
The Group 1 ATC Australian Oaks and Golden Eagle heroine advances her record to seven wins and three seconds from 19 starts with earnings of $5,252,155.
“The farriers in the week leading up spent plenty of time with her so we could get the solid gallops into her, stable representative Sean Keogh said.
“There were plenty of days at the beach between her work and we kept her ticking over.
“She had the preparation for the Caulfield Cup and she had plenty of work in her. We felt that the residual fitness that she would have held for today, it was great to see her pull it off.
“It’s not unknown territory. She was first-up last preparation beating probably the best mare in the country (Verry Elleegant) over seven furlongs.
“Two starts back she was here at Caulfield warming into her preparation over seven furlongs and so with the freshness and that residual fitness, down in grade, she showed her class of the Group 1 mare that she is.
“She is still in the Cox Plate and definitely fit enough to get a mile-and-a-quarter. You’d like to think that against the mares she’s well placed as well.”
The daughter of Hallowed Crown is a half-sister to juvenile stakes-winner Metastasio, and is the best of six winners from unraced Singspiel mare Libretto, from a strong European family.
Libretto was pensioned in 2019, and Colette is her final foal.
Hallowed Crown began his career at Darley before moving to Twin Hills Stud, where he covered 68 mares last spring at a fee of $11,000 and remains at that fee in 2021.
