The Listed VRC Talindert Stakes (1100m) at Flemington on Saturday drew a competitive field with race experience coming to the fore and a rare dead heat finish between well seasoned juvenile Shining Smile and the Godolphin entry Tentyris.
A last start winner of the Listed MRC Blue Diamond Preview, the Lindsay Park trained Shining Smile looked all over a winner for Daniel Stackhouse until challenged late by the Anthony and Sam Freedman trained colt Tentyris, who loomed up, but couldn’t quite get past his rival for Mark Zahra with the judge unable to split the pair.
A protest by Mark Zahra followed, but was quickly dismissed with Spirit of Boom colt Shining Smile now three wins and two placings from five starts with earnings topping $330,000, while Street Boss (USA) colt Tentyris is a stakes-winner at just his second start.
A homebred for Godolphin, Tentyris is the second foal and second winner for Deity, a metro winning half-sister by Exceed and Excel to stakes-winner Maternal from four time Group I winner Divine Madonna.
Deity was covered by Street Boss’s champion son Anamoe last spring so will produce a three-quarter sibling to Tentyris later this year.
Tentyris is the 78th stakes-winner for Street Boss and is his sixth from a daughter of Exceed and Excel with the nick running at 13% SW to runner.