One To Watch - Sandown

Mark Smith - Sunday August 5

Despite just celebrating her fifth birthday, better things look in store for Laurel Oaks’ lightly raced Fastnet Rock mare Kentucky Diva following a dominant win in a benchmark 64 over 2100 metres at Sandown Lakeside on Sunday.

The veteran of just four starts, the Team Hawkes-trained mare was given a picture-perfect ride by Dwayne Dunn to defeat Romelo (Ekraar) by one and a quarter-lengths with Ayers Rock (Nicconi) three lengths back in third.

The winner of a 1600 metre maiden at Hawkesbury on June 21, Kentucky Diva was coming off a luckless sixth at Warwick Farm at her most recent start.

"She’s only had a handful of starts, the owners have been very patient,” co-trained Wayne Hawkes said.

"They bought a horse knowing that she would need a stack of time.

"She never showed a lot from the get-go but she’s slowly starting to put it together.

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"She should have won in Sydney last start, but she is doing the right thing and really hit the line hard today."

Purchased by Laurel Oak Bloodstock for $280,000 out of the Milburn Creek draft at the 2015 Inglis Premier Yearling Sale, the Makybe bred mare is the fifth foal and fifth winner out of the stakes-winning Jade Robbery mare Valkyrie Diva.

Also, the dam of the stakes-winner Wales (Redoute’s Choice), Valkyrie Diva is a half-sister to the champion, 3-time Melbourne Cup heroine Makybe Diva, the Group II winner Musket and the Listed winner La Amistad.

Valkyrie Diva has a 2yo colt by Zoustar. She was not served in 2016 and visited Snitzel last spring.

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