Guineas Goal for Reward for Effort Filly

Tara Madgwick - Wednesday August 30
A brilliant debut winner at Moonee Valley in January, three year-old Reward for Effort filly Blondie went straight into the Group I MRC Blue Diamond Stakes at her second start and while that plan went pear shaped, there is now a new Group I goal on the horizon.

Blondie fractured a hip when finishing last in the Blue Diamond, but the Brendan McCarthy trained filly has made a good recovery and looked right back to her best when resuming at Sandown on Wednesday to win by the best part of a length.

She settled fourth in the run for Ethan Brown and charged to the line to win the 1000 metre scamper in good style.

"She's going a long way this girl and she's got a lot in front of her so it's a good start for her this time around," trainer Brendan McCarthy said.

"We were hoping to head through on the way to the Thousand Guineas and I think this was a good stepping stone for her."

Blondie showed speed in her two-year-old season but McCarthy said he issued apprentice Ethan Brown with different instructions for her first-up outing, which the young jockey carried out perfectly.

"It was a bit of a look-see today after having the problem with the injury last start," McCarthy said.

Reward for Effort"I knew we could have gone through and led today but I just said to Ethan, 'I want you just to sit back about third or fourth' and he did exactly that.

"She travelled very sweetly and she really had to pick up and go to catch that leader, who had a nice run in front and took a lot of catching.

"She can settle. She's got a very mature head on her shoulders and she can handle everything you put in front of her."

Retained to race by her breeders Innisfree Thoroughbreds, Blondie has won two of three starts earning nearly $70,000 in prizemoney and is the fourth winner from four to race from former speedy General Nediym mare Divine Princess, a half-sister to Group III winner Commanding Hope.

She looks another bright prospect for Reward for Effort, who continues to do a great job at Chatswood Stud where he stands at a fee of $16,500.


Advertisment
More Reading...
Hong Kong Double for Reward for Effort
Supporters of Reward For Effort were pleased to wake up to news of a Sha Tin double for the Victorian Stalwart on Wednesday night.
Group 1 Durban July Success For Son Of Australian Bred Gimmethegreenlight
Although not having previously sired a winner of South Africa’s greatest race, the Australian bred, South African-based sire Gimmethegreenlight (More Than Ready) added a 13th individual Group 1 winner to his record when the Dean Kannemeyer trained The Real Prince (SAF) added Saturday’s R5m Group 1 Hollywoodbets Durban July (2200m) to his record.
Debut Winner for St Mark’s Basilica
Set to shuttle to Coolmore Australia this spring, St Mark’s Basilica (FR) had an impressive debut winner overnight in the UK with Cape Ashizuri opening his account in style.
Desert Lashes Back to Best
Talented Reward for Effort mare Desert Lashes shot to fame when winning her first eight starts in succession and has been consistent since then until suffering a bleeding attack at Moonee Valley last October.
Another Rewarding Season
The 2017/18 Australian Racing season has concluded and Reward for Effort has again provided a model of consistency for Victorian Breeders.
Dubawi Colt from $US8million Mare Wins G1 Coral Eclipse for Coolmore
Blueblood Dubawi colt Delacroix was a beaten favourite in the Group I Epsom Derby when unplaced behind his stablemate Lambourn, but he found his time to shine overnight when scoring a miraculous last to first win in the Group I Coral Eclipse Stakes (1m2f) at Sandown.
Resolute Racing Win G1 Prix Jean Prat – Wootton Bassett Sire Power
A crackerjack meeting at Deauville in France overnight highlighted the power of Wootton Bassett (GB), who sired yet another new two year-old stakes-winner and he also featured as the grand-sire of Woodshauna, who captured the Group I Prix Jean Prat (1400m) for US based Resolute Racing.
New Juvenile Stakes-Winner Wootton Bassett
A two year-old Wootton Bassett  colt bred to stay, Daytona made it two wins as many starts when scoring a dominant win in the Listed Pat Smullen Stakes (1m) at Naas in Ireland overnight.
Stakes Success for Spritely 7YO Warhorse
Pearce Racing's seven year old warhorse Ginger Baker collected his first ever stakes win in the Listed 2200m South West Cup yesterday.
Sixth Winner for Anders
First past the post at Wyong on June 24, talented Anders filly Sapling lost that race on protest, but quickly made amends when returning to the same track on Saturday to score her first actual victory.