Another triumph for the Godolphin team in Saturday's Group II Astus Australia Reisling Stakes (1200m) as Tenley made it three from three when defeating her Magic Millions 2yo Classic winning Exhilarates and book her ticket to the big dance, the $3,500,000 Golden Slipper at Rosehill on March 23.
With James McDonald in the saddle, the grey daughter of Medaglia d'Oro came from well back in the field to defeat Exhilarates (Snitzel) by one and a half lengths with Brisbane-trained filly Vincere Volare (I Am Invincible) another half-length back in third after making the early running. (images Steve Hart)
After winning on the Kensington track at Randwick when making her debut on November 22, Tenley came into the Reisling off the back of a dominant win in the Pierro Plate at Randwick on February 16.
"She's a beauty. She's got a great constitution, she absorbs pressure, got a great turn of foot and she sustains a really good gallop. She ticks a lot of boxes," McDonald said.
"She jumped really well, travelled good and she got a lovely cart into the race. Then she just goes bang."
The Reisling has been a good guide to the Golden Slipper with Estijaab completing the double 12 months ago.
"That worked out pretty well," James Cummings enthused.
"She has just improved out of sight like you would not believe. Since she has gotten to the stable she has just been flying. She hasn't let us down and improved and improved. The bottom that we saw to her there is of a pretty serious filly."
Tenley has a real Golden Slipper pedigree being by Vancouver's sire Medaglia D'Oro (USA) out of the Lonhro mare Fratianne whose dam Dubai Ice (Danehill) is a sister to Vancouver's dam Skates.
Dubai Ice and Skates are both out of the outstanding racemare Skating (At Talaq) the winner of the Group 1 AJC Doncaster Hcp and the Group 1 STC Winfield Classic.
Purchased by John Ferguson on behalf of Darley for $525,000 out of the Segenhoe Stud draft at the 2001 Inglis Easter Yearling Sale, Dubai Ice was a winner at 1000 metres and was stakes-placed in the Group III VRC Thoroughbred Breeders Stakes.
She had eight foals for seven winners including the stakes-placegetters Avalanches (Street Cry) and Palm Trilogy (Dubai Destination) before Darley sent her to Japan in 2013.
Fratianne won a maiden at Kyneton and placed twice in six starts.
Tenley is her third foal and first winner.
The daughter of Lonhro was carrying a Shooting To Win filly when she was consigned by Godolphin to the 2017 Inglis Australian Broodmare Sale where she was purchased by Widden Stud for $185,000.
The Shooting To Win filly was withdrawn from the recent Inglis Classic Yearling Sale.
Fratianne had a Sebring filly last spring and was bred back to Zoustar.
