Sierra Sue (NZ) (Darci Brahma) was all class claiming Saturday’s feature race at Caulfield, upsetting a bunch of talented weight-for-age gallopers in the Gr.2 P.B Lawrence Stakes (1400m).
Last month the five-year-old mare made a 13-hour round trip from Cranbourne to race in the Mildura Cup (1400m) and it was that trip and subsequent victory that played its part in her Lawrence victory, according to co-trainer Natalie Young.
“I think that little trip to Mildura has really brought this filly (mare) on,” she explained.
“We always thought she had another good preparation in her and she has shown it today.”
Sierra Sue’s career was at the crossroads after a winless autumn and winter in Queensland so Young said it was decided to try and change things up with the mare.
“After Flemington (unplaced on July 17), she sort of peaked 50 metres out. I thought there was plenty of improvement in her. I rang Ozzie (Kheir, part-owner) and said, ‘get her on a float to Mildura, it is a $100,000 race. I think she has come through the race fantastic, just trust me on this’.
“She came out and won that and she’s had a nice three weeks in between. We gave her a really quiet week after that and just ticked her over the last couple of weeks. She’s come out today and she has really got that turn of foot back in her.”
Young is keen for Sierra Sue to return to Caulfield in two weeks to race over the same 1400-metre course, but this time for a Group One, in the A$1m Memsie Stakes.
“You can’t win Group Ones unless you’re in them,” Young said.
“We’ll have a talk to the owners and see how she pulls up obviously but I would love to see her back here in a couple of weeks.”
Starting at $8, Sierra Sue finished too strongly for jockey John Allen to beat Angel Of Truth (Animal Kingdom) ($31) by 1.25 lengths with Red Can Man (Gingerbread Man) ($5) close-up in third just ahead of the eye-catcher Superstorm (Sebring) ($8).
Sierra Sue was originally sold out of Ardsley Stud’s 2019 New Zealand Bloodstock May Sale draft as an untried two-year-old for $2,000 to Te Aroha trainer Peter Lock.
A trials winner in New Zealand for Lock, Sierra Sue was purchased privately by a prominent group of Australian owners, headed by developer, hotelier and horseracing identity Aziz “Ozzie” Kheir through eagle-eyed bloodstock agent Phill Cataldo.
“I bought her after she won a trial at Te Aroha in impressive fashion,” Cataldo said.
“She’s a big, scopey mare with a great action and it is really pleasing to see her go on and perform so well for her new connections.”
Sierra Sue is one of 53 Stakes winner for high class sire Darci Brahma, who stands at The Oaks Stud for $15,000 + GST.
