A stakes-winner at two and placed in the Strutt Stakes and Tasmanian Guineas at three, the Leon Wells trained five year-old did best in a thrilling finish to win the 1600 metre feature by a neck after finishing third in the Listed Conquering Stakes to boom sprinter I'm Wesley two weeks ago.
"The other horse (Hellova Street) had a hard campaign in Melbourne and is a very good horse, but I thought she could be the one to beat," Wells said.
"She was the leading two-year-old, a leading three-year-old and was just looking for a couple of lengths as a four-year-old.
"Even in foal now she'sracing very well, so the hormones must be kicking about in the right place and it was a beautiful ride by Craig as well."
Winning rider Craig Newitt said a recent change in riding tactics appears to be
paying dividends"She's been a consistent mare all her life and we've found a new way to ride her, which is a bit quieter," he said. "She moved into the race really nice and had a really good turn of foot coming around the corner and into the home straight."
A homebred for Paul and Elizabeth Geard, Gee Gees Top Notch has the overall record of 10 wins and 13 placings from 37 starts with prizemoney topping $356,000.
She is the lone winner to date for Danehill Dancer (IRE) mare Himstedt, who has a two year-old filly by Wordsmith and foaled again to the son of Testa Rossa this spring.
In foal to AJC Derby and Epsom Handicap winner Clangalang, Gee Gees Top Notch is one of four stakes-winners for Wordsmith, who stands at a fee of $5,500.
