Promising filly Grail Seeker (NZ) (Iffraaj) showed she could well be a force in some of the better summer three-year-old distance events with an effortless performance to break her maiden status at Te Rapa.
The daughter of Iffraaj had caught the eye when finishing off strongly to finish fourth over 1300m at Taupo and lapped up the increase to a 1600m journey on Saturday.
Positioned nicely in the trail by rider Niranjan Parmar, Grail Seeker burst away from her rivals in the home straight to cruise home by nearly five lengths and justify some heavy support on the tote which saw her installed the $2 favourite for the contest.
Co-trainer Andrew Scott, who prepares the filly in partnership with Lance O’Sullivan, admitted there was plenty of pre-race confidence in the chances of their charge.
“We came into raceday with a lot of confidence after the way she went Taupo last time,” Scott said.
“She really made up good ground that day and we knew she would be even more suited up to the mile on a good track.
“Her work has been very pleasing and you could see she had taken a lot out of that run.
“She got a good run today and when she found clear air she finished off very strongly, which is encouraging with what we are looking at for her over the coming months.”
A return to Te Rapa in early December is on the cards for Grail Seeker, with Scott keen to see her continue to improve with higher honours on offer over the summer.
“She still has a lot to learn but every time she steps out she looks better and better,” he said.
“At this stage we are looking at the Eagle Memorial (Listed, 1500m) on the 2nd of December here at Te Rapa and then we will reassess after that.
“Her racing style suggests she will get further so some of those nice middle distance races for the three-year-old fillies over the summer could well be on the radar.
“It is a good time of the year to win a race with a filly and now we have that maiden victory out of the way I think she can really go ahead from here.”
Raced by Trevor Clarke and Chris Jones, Grail Seeker was a $130,000 purchase by Rudy Liefting under his Kakapo Lodge banner from her breeder Jamieson Park’s draft during the Book 1 Sale at Karaka in 2022.
Her dam Starwish is a Redoute’s Choice daughter of Gr.1 Australia Stakes (1200m) winner Stella Cadente and she comes from a family that includes stakes winners Deep Image, Brilliant Bisc and outstanding Hong Kong sprinter Dashing Fellow.
