Talented Snitzel filly Lazzura has been chasing home her over achieving stable-mate Lady Shenandoah in her previous three starts and with that filly targeted to the Group I ATC Coolmore Classic against the older mares, Lazzura grabbed her opportunity to shine when taking out the Group II ATC Phar Lap Stakes (1500m).
Trained by Chris Waller and ridden by Tommy Berry, Lazzura was given a positive ride and responded well to win by nearly two lengths over Victorian visitor Wonder Boy with another Snitzel filly in race favourite Declichy Boulevard in third place.
A Listed winner at two, Lazzura has put together a tidy record with three wins and two placings from eight starts with prizemoney topping $474,000 and there is more to come.
“Tommy took the luck out of the equation by popping outside the leader. They weren't going overly quickly and even when he sat outside the leader, it wasn't pretty fast. She's done a good job, showed great acceleration, backed up some good form from the last two runs behind some top fillies,” said Chris Waller.
"I'll have a chat to the owners. They are pretty cool customers but they've got a fair idea about racing and I guess it's all about value building. Possibly to the Queen of the Turf.
"We'll keep our powder dry for probably four weeks and have a look at a race like that over a mile. So that's one of the options."
Chris Waller has used the Phar Lap Stakes as a stepping stone to Group I success in the past and has won it eight times in the past 11 years and all of the winners prior to Lazzura have been G1 winners.
2023 - Zougotcha
2021 - Hungry Heart
2020 - Funstar
2019 - Verry Elleegant
2018 - Unforgotten
2017 - Foxplay
2015 - Winx
Lazzura was a $500,000 Magic Millions purchase for B2B Thoroughbreds from the Arrowfield Stud draft and continues a remarkable 24 hour run of stakes success for horses bred and sold by Arrowfield with Verona Rose winning the G3 Kembla Classic on Friday, Skyhook winning the G3 Pago Pago earlier today and then Lady Shenandoah won the G1 Coolmore Classic.
A three-quarter sister to stakes-placed Portorosa, Lazzura is the best of three winners from winning Japanese import Laguna Azzurra(Jpb), a half-sister by Heart’s Cry to Group III winner Seewind from stakes-winner Silky Lagoon.
Laguna Azzurra has no yearling for the sales this year, but produced a filly by Snitzel last spring before being covered by Farnan.
