So You Think Mares G2 Quinella

Tara Madgwick - Saturday September 24

The $400,000 Group II ATC Golden Pendant (1400m) at Rosehill on Saturday produced a great tussle to the line between two talented So You Think mares with seasoned Group I winner Nimalee prevailing over the up and comer Palaisipan.

Nimalee on the inside outpoints Palaisipan - image Steve Hart

Trained by Matthew Smith, Nimalee won the Group I ATC Queen of the Turf Stakes in the autumn and was third up for a spell for his assignment stripping fit and ready to fire.

Ridden forward by Regan Bayliss she was always out to mean business and was tenacious to the line holding out the determined challenge of Palaisipan to win by a head.

Matthew Smith is keen to get Nimalee back to Randwick next week for a crack at the Group I ATC Epsom Handicap in which she has 54.5kg.

"I don't know if we have backed her up before but she's a big, strong mare, she is a good eater and she helps herself anyway so if she comes through the race OK, we'd definitely have a serious think about it," Smith said.

"She has taken a couple of runs to get her fit this time in and I had to put a couple of extra trials into her as well so it's good to see her today tough it out at the finish. 

Advertisement

"She didn't have any favours and she was strong late. Super effort." 

Nimalee heads next to the G1 Epsom - image Steve Hart

Regan Bayliss was full of praise for Nimalee.

"She was in for a dog fight today, she's a top-class mare," he said.

"Hopefully she pulls up well and she's a mighty good chance in the Epsom next week." 

Nimalee was bred and sold by Cressfield.

A $270,000 Inglis Premier purchase for Randwick Bloodstock from the Millford Thoroughbreds draft, Nimalee runs for Letmar Investments and has the impressive record of eight wins and seven placings from 25 starts with prizemoney in excess of $1.5 million.

Bred by Cressfield, she is a three-quarter sister to Group III placed The Chairman from Dezign, an unraced half-sister by Zabeel to Group II winner Star Fashion from Group II winner and Hong Kong Derby winner Elegant Fashion.

Dezign was one of 204 mares covered last spring by So You Think and has already foaled producing a colt for Cressfield.

Advertisment

Race Result - Golden Pendant Gr2 1400m

Rosehill Track: Good(4) Time: 1:23.04
1
Nimalee
- 6m So You Think (NZ) x Dezign (AUS) (Zabeel (NZ))
Tnr: Matthew Smith Rdr: Regan Bayliss 58
So You Think
2
0.1
Palaisipan
- 5m So You Think (NZ) x Touch Of Red (AUS) (Fastnet Rock (AUS))
Tnr: Chris Munce Rdr: Damian Lane 56
So You Think
3
0.6
Pippali
- 5m Ilovethiscity (AUS) x Polaway (AUS) (Giant's Causeway (USA))
Tnr: J C Coyle Rdr: K Mc Evoy 54
4
1.5
Espiona
- 4m Extreme Choice (AUS) x Dahooil (NZ) (O'Reilly (NZ))
Tnr: C J Waller Rdr: J B Mc Donald 55
5
1.6
Electric Girl
- 6m Declaration Of War (USA) x Electra (AUS) (Zizou (AUS))
Tnr: M, W & J Hawkes Rdr: C Schofield 56
6
1.7
Katalin
- 6m Medaglia D'Oro (USA) x Kanzan (AUS) (Commands (AUS))
Tnr: James Cummings Rdr: Tim Clark 54
7
1.9
Expat
- 5m Makfi (GB) x Utmost Caution (AUS) (Galileo (IRE))
Tnr: Mark Newnham Rdr: Tom Sherry 56
8
2.0
Jamaea
- 4m Headwater (AUS) x Isibaeva (AUS) (Johannesburg (USA))
Tnr: R & L Price Rdr: Tommy Berry 56.5
9
2.1
Mirra Vision
- 6m Lonhro (AUS) x Mirrasalo (AUS) (Redoute's Choice (AUS))
Tnr: P & P Snowden Rdr: S Clipperton 55
10
2.9
Dynasties
- 4m Sebring (AUS) x Empress Rock (AUS) (Fastnet Rock (AUS))
Tnr: P & P Snowden Rdr: B Shinn 55
11
3.8
Startantes
- 4m Star Turn (AUS) x Funtantes (AUS) (Easy Rocking (AUS))
Tnr: R L Heathcote Rdr: J R Collett 58
12
3.9
Meg
- 5m Sebring (AUS) x Martilago (AUS) (Encosta De Lago (AUS))
Tnr: Matthew Dale Rdr: Tyler Schiller 54
13
4.2
My Whisper
- 4m Frankel (GB) x Hersigh (GB) (Poet's Voice (GB))
Tnr: P & P Snowden Rdr: W Pike 55
14
4.3
Dalchini
- 4m Flying Artie (AUS) x Cinnamon Dove (USA) (Gulch (USA))
Tnr: Lee & Cherie Curtis Rdr: J Ford 54
15
5.5
Gin Martini
- 4m Rip Van Winkle (IRE) x Tanqueray (NZ) (Red Ransom (USA))
Tnr: J G Sargent Rdr: B Avdulla 54.5
16
6.9
Riduna
- 4m Fastnet Rock (AUS) x Alderney (AUS) (High Chaparral (IRE))
Tnr: G Waterhouse & A Bott Rdr: Rachel King 54
More Reading...
Waterford Wins G2 Shannon Stakes
Talented import Waterford (IRE) has long promised to win a stakes race and he did the job in spectacular fashion at Rosehill on Saturday when scoring a dominant win in the $300,000 Group II ATC Shannon Stakes (1500m).
$4million Payday for So You Think as Nimalee Makes it an Historic 3rd Gr1 in Queen Of The Turf
Stealing all the glory on Day 2 of The Championships at Randwick was Coolomore Stud’s champion So You Think, who will rocket to the head of the stallion's table, earmning a third consecutive Group 1 winner when Damien Oliver coaxed the 5yo mare Nimalee to an easy victory in the Queen Of The Turf Stakes.
Record-Breaking Weetwood Win To Dundeel’s Tavs
Having not raced since fourth in the Listed BRC Spear Chief Handicap (1500m) during the Brisbane Winter Carnival, the Mark Currie trained Tavs (Dundeel) resumed from a spell to record his first black type victory, winning the Listed Weetwood (1200m) at Toowoomba on Saturday in track record time.
Sires With Winners - Saturday September 27
Here is the full list of 106 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Kiwi Bred Evaporate Wins G3 Sandown Stakes
Smart four-year-old Evaporate bounced back from a setback to win Saturday’s Gr.3 Sandown Stakes (1500m) in gallant fashion, defeating favourite Transatlantic by a nose.
Beiwacht Breaks Track Record In G1 Golden Rose Romp
With many of the opinion that Godolphin would provide the winner of this year’s $1m Group 1 ATC Golden Rose (1400m), they were right, but not with the 3yo expected as the Chris Waller trained Bivouac colt Beiwacht was simply sensational in his track record breaking victory.
Sires With Winners - Sunday September 28
Here is the full list of 73 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Favourite Whisky On The Hill (GB) Wins Listed R.M. Ansett Classic
With just a small field of seven runners jumping away in the Listed MRC R.M. Ansett Classic (2415m) at Mornington on Sunday, it was the Glen Thompson trained Whiskey On The Hill (GB) (Ribchester) who took the prize, securing his first black type victory.
Pedigree Watch – G1 European 2YO
Juveniles took centre stage overnight in the UK and Ireland with a pair of Group I races decided at Newmarket in the Middle Park Stakes (6f) for the colts and Cheveley Park Stakes (6f) for the fillies, while at The Curragh a field of 30 lined up in the Goffs Million, the richest 2YO race in Europe.
Bred to Win a Caulfield Guineas?
It’s been a good weekend for Yarraman Park's champion sire I Am Invincible with a G1 winner and a colt soon to roll the dice in a G1 of his own.