Snitzel’s determined daughter Sylvia's Mother gradually wore down the in-form Magnus mare News Girl in Saturday’s Group III Geoffrey Bellmaine Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield to earn a maiden stakes win and become the 98th stakes-winner for the 3-time Champion Australian stallion and his second on the day at Caulfield.
Ridden by Dwayne Dunn for Team Hawkes, Sylvia's Mother did not flinch after making a long run from midfield to nail News Girl by a head with Invictus Salute (Exceed And Excel) a further one and three-quarters away in third.
Sylvia's Mother the 98th stakes-winner for Snitzel - images Grant Courtney
The 4yo mare was making her first start since finishing third in the Group III W.W. Cockram Stakes over the same course and distance back in August last year.
It advances her overall record to 6 wins and 2 thirds from 10 starts with earnings of $357,730.
"Now she's a Group winner, so it's job well done, so whatever she does for the rest of her career is now a bonus," co-trainer Wayne Hawkes told AAP.
"It was a good effort when you see how windy it is now.
"In the mounting yard before the race, we were literally being blown away and being four back on the fence was probably not the place to be.
"You don't realise how much the horses get moved around and knocked around and coming to the corner Dwayne had to push his way out.
"She certainly did it the hard way and she is a good mare going somewhere."
Hawkes nominated the Group1 Newmarket Handicap at Flemington next month as a possible target.
"Sometimes the Newmarket is not the strongest race but it is a massive, massive jump, but in saying that she is good up the straight," Hawkes said.
"When you know they can run up the straight, it's a big, big plus."
The Crosby family homebred is the first runner from four named foals out of the 3-time winning Bel Esprit mare Found The One who was purchased by Robert Crosby off Patinack Farm at the 2013 Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale for $220,000. She is a sister to the Group 1 SAJC Robert Sangster Stakes winner Bel Mer and the Listed winner Ken Arok.
Bel Mer is the dam of the recent Listed MRC Christmas Stakes winner All Too Royal (All Too Hard).
A daughter of the Listed winner Drop Anchor (At Talaq), Found The One had an All Too Hard colt sell to Robl Racing for $50,000 at last year’s Inglis Classic Yearling Sale.
Found The One has a yearling filly by Pride Of Dubai and filly foal by Rubick.
She was covered by Redoute’s Choice’s 4-time Group 1 winning son Trapeze Artist last spring.
