The Grahame Begg stable was in hot form on Saturday winning the Group I ATC All Aged Stakes at Randwick with high class mare Magic Time and also the $200,000 Listed Hareeba Stakes (1200m) at Mornington with talented Pride of Dubai three year-old Maharba.
A stakes-winner last season at two, Maharba has been competitive in stakes races this season without winning and was overdue to finish in front.
Ridden by Kiwi visitor Michael McNab, Maharba surged late up the inside with a well timed run to snatch a head win taking his overall record to three wins and three seconds from 10 starts with prizemoney topping $470,000.
“When I looked across I thought I got there, but with 50m to go I thought I’d run third, so it was a solid effort,” said Michael McNab.
A half-brother to Magic Millions 2YO Classic winner Unencumbered Maharba was bred by Newhaven Park and runs for Garry and Marianne Towzell.
Maharba is the seventh winner from eight foals to race from stakes-winning More Than Ready (USA) mare Blizzardly, whose weanling colt by Churchill (IRE) has been entered for the Inglis Australian Weanling Sale and will be offered as Lot 330 by Taghadoe Stud.
Blizzardly was on-sold through Inglis Digital in 2022 and made just $1250 when bought by Doug Walker, who bred the Churchill colt and he has a bit to look forward to as she appears to be back in foal to Pride of Dubai.
Maharba is the seventh Australian stakes-winner this season for Pride of Dubai, who is running fourth on the Australian General Sires List by earnings.
