EXCITING FINISH: Delishka defeats A Piccadilly Princess and Miss Riviera Belle at Menangle tonight. Photo by Lett Photography
STAR Kiwi mare Delishka led the charge at Tabcorp Park Menangle tonight as the three of Australasia’s best mares earned spots in one of Club Menangle’s biggest features races.
Delishka ($5.80) scored an exciting 1.5m win over fellow New Zealand mare A Piccadilly Princess (Luke McCarthy) with outsider Miss Riviera Belle (Chris Geary) third in a 1:51.1 mile rate.
Trainer Brad Mowbray offered the drive to Blake Fitzpatrick in the Group 3 Cordina Family Sibelia Stakes and must have been thrilled with the leading Sydney horseman’s effort.
Fitzpatrick timed his run to perfection and Mowbray may now find it difficult to hand the drive to anyone else in the $200,000 Ladyship Mile to be run at Menangle on Miracle Mile night, February 24.
Club Menangle Racing Manager David Wonson was quick to announce that all three placegetters would now be invited into the Ladyship Mile, joining two other qualifiers from previous feature races run in New Zealand and Victoria.
Partyon, which led and compounded to finish last in the Sibelia Stakes tonight had already earned her spot in the Ladyship thanks to an earlier win at Alexandra Park in Auckland while Our Golden Goddess also guaranteed her invitation with an impressive win over Partyon in the Group 1 Alabar Ladyship Club at Melton last month.
That gave Club Menangle five certain starters with at least three more to be decided next week when the club hosts the $40,800 Group 3 Garrards Robin Dundee Stakes.
The end result will make it one of the most exciting features of Miracle Mile night with all the top mares likely to be there for what is bound to be a stunning clash of some mighty mares.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION TELEPHONE CLUB MENANGLE RACING MANAGER DAVID WONSON ON 0438-398-251.
