Bought by Yulong for $3.4million at the Inglis Chairman's Sale this year, outstanding mare Montefilia scored her first win for new trainer Chris Waller when taking out the $2million Group II ATC Hill Stakes (2000m) at Rosehill on Saturday.
The six year-old daughter of Kermadec had won four Group I races before today and had a big class edge over her rivals which was plain to see over the final furlong.
When let down by Nash Rawiller, she rounded them up quickly, surging to the front to beat last year’s Epsom Derby runner-up Hoo Ya Mal (GB) by half a length.
Trained previously by David Payne, Montefilia has the overall record of seven wins and 13 placings from 31 starts with earnings topping $4.4million.
"It's obviously a credit really to David Payne leaving plenty of horse left in her. Everyone is so conscious of longevity nowadays and making sure you're retiring sound horses and not breaking their hearts. There was obviously some still left in the locker but she's achieved great things,” said stable representative Charlie Duckworth.
"I don't think there's going to be a person out begrudging Yulong. Obviously they've put their hands in their pockets really deep for multiple years now in buying these high-priced mares but that's the beauty of racing in today's age. You're racing for $2 million here and she wins back a massive portion of what they spent on her and they've still got her as a broodmare.”
Nash Rawiller was impressed with the mare, who may add further G1 wins to her CV.
"If there was another 100m she wins by three and a half or four (lengths). She was motoring that last 100m,” he said.
"I'd imagine Yulong would get a great thrill out of that. Highly talented mare who has always promised to be one of our best and today she showed a glimpse of that. They'd be rapt and I'm sure she'll be a good mum one day."
Montefilia was a $62,000 Inglis Great Southern Weanling purchase for Baystone Farm that was then purchased by David Payne at the Magic Millions Yearling Sale for $130,000, consigned both times by Tyreel Stud.
A half-sister to Group III placed Nice for What, Montefilia was bred by the late Geoff Russell and is the best of five winners from five to race from Bana Wu (GB), a stakes-placed Shirocco mare from the family of Group II winner Strategic Prince and stakes-winning stayer Yorkshire.
Bana Wu was bought by Victorian breeder Sean Duke for $92,500 at the 2018 Inglis Broodmare Sale and she has a yearling filly by Kermadec and is in foal to him again.
Montefilia is one of four Australian Group I winners for Kermadec, who stands at Darley Victoria at a fee of $16,500.
