Recording her first black type victory, the Grahame Begg trained filly Ruska Roma was simply too strong for her rivals in the $175,000 Listed MRC Twilight Glow Stakes (1400m) giving breeder/owner Jonathan Munz his first stakes winner sired by his Group 1 Caulfield Guineas winner Super Seth.
Well supported after coming off a last start fourth in the Group 3 MRC Vanity Stakes behind Sheza Alibi, with that winner going on to thrash her rivals by five and three quarter lengths in the Group 2 Sandown Guineas at her next start, Ruska Roma jumped away well and settled in third on the rail.
With the short priced favourite Jenni Gone Bonkers travelling on her outside, the pair had the Godolphin raced Sketch and Lyrics ‘N’ Song, a half to Champion Melody Belle, ahead of them in the run.
As Jenni Gone Bonkers appeared to wobble around the home turn, jockey Jordan Childs seized the opportunity to come off the rail and pull around the heels of those ahead of him to place himself in a challenging position.
Taking the lead with 100m to run, Ruska Roma held off the late charge of the favourite to win the race by a length and a quarter with Lyrics ‘N’ Song securing some valuable black type back in third.
Trainer Grahame Begg was adamant that his filly deserved to break through for her first stakes victory, especially when you look back through her form.
“She’s always shown us ability,” enthused Begg. “Her first start in a race she ran third behind Planet Red, who ran second in the Guineas, and Observer ran second who won the Derby and she ran third.
“She deserved that Listed win. She’s been running well right throughout the spring but hasn’t had a lot of luck in her races.
“The other day, it was a tragedy that she didn’t finish closer to Sheza Alibi as she got held up to the 100 metres and we all saw what Sheza Alibi did in the Sandown Guineas.
“It’s great for Jonathan Munz and Pinecliff Racing. He bred her. She’s a homebred and it’s very important to get a Listed win on the board. I’m sure there’s plenty more.”
“She prepped up really well for the race and we were really confident that she would run well.”
Having partnered the filly in all her seven starts, Childs felt the good barrier today helped.
“Today she did all the things right,” said Childs. “She’s been getting back in her races and having to rely upon a lot of luck.
“From the good gate today, we were able to jump, hold a spot in the box seat. Along the side, when the favourite wobbled, I was able to take its spot and then have an uninterrupted run into the race and she was good all through the line.”
“I was following Willo (on Sketch) and I thought I was going to have to have a bit of luck to get out, but just on the other side (Jenni Gone Bonkers) didn’t look like it was handling it all that well and I sensed that it was the time to get off and get into that one off line which gave me a bit of clear air.
“She was able to build up her momentum. I think she’s a nice horse. She hasn’t had much go right and it was good to get that win today.
“She had been going well the whole way through without any luck. It was good to do that for Pinecliff and Grahame and the team.”
Taking her overall record two a pair of wins and a third placed effort from just seven starts with $160,525 in earnings, the G S A Bloodstock Pty Ltd bred filly is one of two winners and the first at black type level out of the Makfi mare Sansa, a half-sister to the Listed winner Members Joy (dam of Group 2 winner Pure Elation) and to Rosarian (dam of Group 3 winner Jennilala).
Sansa’s current 2yo is an unraced filly by Dundeel named Gallonetto who won a Geelong jumpout last Thursday for the Danny O’Brien yard, while the mare unfortunately missed to Dundeel the following season before she passed away in August this year in foal to the very same stallion once again.
Becoming the eighth individual stakes winner for the Waikato Stud-based Super Seth, who has already been represented by four individual Group 1 winners, the multiple stakes winning son of Dundeel is standing the current season at a fee of $75,000 (plus GST).
