Class told in Saturday's Group III Tobin Brothers Cockram Stakes (1200m) when New Zealand's Group 1 winner Quintessa made light of her 60kgs at her seasonal debut.
Ridden by Daniel Stackhouse for Mark Walker, the 4-year-old daughter of Shamus Award was buried away three wide with a trail and had plenty to offer when challenging the leader shortly after straightening.
Quintessa defeated the very game Toronado (IRE) mare Extratwo by three-quarters of a length, with the fast-finishing Manhattan Rain mare La Danseuse Rouge a nose back in third.
Stackhouse said the Quintessa became upset due to a delayed start.
"She did a good job after standing in the gates for that long," Stackhouse said.
"She got a little worked up. She stepped lovely and followed Wrote To Arataki, who gave us a nice cart into it. I had Extratwo on my outside, so I was a little bit rough on the corner just so I could make sure I had the room to improve into the race and then she did the rest.
"I gave her a little trot and canter on Thursday just to have a bit of a feel of her. She's a class horse, a Group One winner in New Zealand at a mile. The team changed things up a bit, keeping her to the shorter trips this time around so they've done a great job."
Stable representative Ben Gleeson was full of praise for Quintessa, who was making her first start since the ATC Australian Oaks in April.
"It’s been a long time since (ATC Oaks). She went home and spelled at Te Akau Stud, so she got prepped over there by Mark, Sam, and the team,” Gleason said.
“She had one jump out, one trial. They’ve been happy with her, and she galloped just before she came over and really pleased Mark.”
“Hindsight’s a wonderful thing in racing. She’s bred to stay, but this preparation, if we train her a bit fresh and keep her at shorter trips, she might be that sprinter miler filly.
“There’s a lovely program for these fillies and mares. She’ll go two weeks to the Let's Elope, and ideally, we’re getting her to Flemington, Cup week, and running in the Empire Rose. That’s probably the perfect race for her. If we keep training her like that mile type of mare.”
Quintessa was a $170,000 purchase for David Ellis from the Wentwood Grange draft at Karaka in 2022.
Bred by Peachester Lodge, she is the best of two winners from as many to race for the High Chaparral IRE) mare Chaquinta.
A $120,000 buy for United Syndications from the Cambridge Stud draft at Karaka in 2013, Chaquinta showed little in four starts for Mick Price but proved a reliable money spinner for Joe Cleary, winning five and placing in five of 21 starts with three wins on the bounce at Warwick Farm (x2) and Canterbury from 2200m to 2700m.
Rosemont Stud purchased Chaquinta for $120,000 from the Willow Park draft at the Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale. It sold her two years later to Linda and Graham Huddy's Peachester Lodge for $65,000 at the Magic Millions Rosemont Exclusive Online Sale.
Following Quintessa, Chaquinta has an unraced 3-year-old colt by Preferment named Costanza and a 2-year-old filly by the same stallion.
After foaling a colt by the Kingsman stallion King of Comedy (IRE) last spring, Chaquinta was covered by Per Incanto (USA).
Shamus Award stands at Rosemont Farm this season for $38,500.
