Stakes-winning mare Polly Grey (NZ) (Azamour) has joined the stable of leading Sydney trainer Chris Waller.
The five-year-old mare won the Listed Matamata Cup (1600m) last October before placing in the Gr.3 Thompson Handicap (1600m) and Gr.2 Japan Trophy (1600m) and has recently joined the expat Kiwi’s barn.
“We decided to send her to Chris Waller, just to see how she goes and give her an opportunity to get some black-type in Australia hopefully,” former trainer and part-owner Kylie Fawcett said.
“We have leased a half share in her to one of our clients John Thompson from Auckland. Hopefully we have a bit of fun with her.”
The daughter of Azamour’s win in the Matamata Cup was a career highlight for Fawcett, with it being her first stakes victory as a trainer.
“It was a relief because she was my first runner in a stakes race too,” she said. “Being on my home track, that was special.”
Fawcett also took pride in developing Polly Grey from a green youngster.
“Just molding her early career was rewarding because she was a little bit temperamental and took time,” she said. “Once she put it all together she was quite special for me.”
While Fawcett will be keeping close tabs on Polly Grey’s Sydney campaign, she enjoyed being back at the trials at Te Rapa on Tuesday where she lined-up two runners, with Reliable Man filly Turret (NZ) taking out her 850m heat.
“I was very happy with her trial,” Fawcett said. “She has always shown a good amount of ability and we suspected she would appreciate the cut in the track, which she showed today.
“I thought her trial before the break was good, but the three or four weeks in the paddock that she ended up having has definitely held her in good stead.”
Fawcett was a little disappointed with stablemate Magic Monkey’s (NZ) (Proisir) trial and said she may need to wait until the spring.
“I was hoping that she would like a wet track because her breeding suggests her family does, but she didn’t like it at all. We will have to wait for better tracks with her.”
Fawcett said she benefitted from the COVID-19 enforced break from racing, but is eager to get her race team of four back to the races.
“As bad as it has been for the whole country and the economy, it has been a good opportunity to take a bit of a break and come back revitalised mentally and physically and rearing to go,” she said. “I have four in work, but Turret will be the first back to the races.
“We will just see how she comes through this trial. She is Pearl Series nominated, so we will look for a race like that for her.”
