Local filly Vegas Queen (NZ) (Proisir) showed she had taken plenty of benefit from her last start third placing when she went two better in taking out the ITM/GIB 2YO Race (1200m) at her home venue of Ruakaka on Saturday.
The sensational late scratching of raging hot favourite I‘m All In ($1.70) at the starting barriers saw Vegas Queen shorten to $2.60 on the tote and she never gave her many supporters a moment of concern as she stalked pacemaker Beau Luca throughout for rider Jasmine Fawcett.
Fawcett unleased the brakes at the 200m and the daughter of Proisir dashed clear to win comfortably from Beau Luca and Miss Flower who battled on well for third.
Co-trainer Kenny Rae, who prepares the filly in partnership with daughter Krystal Williams, admitted she is held in high regard and has some lofty ambitions ahead of her.
“It was only a four-horse field in the end, but she has a very high reputation in the stable,” Rae said.
“She has lived up to that today.
“We might give her five or six days off then bring her back for the Breeders’ Stakes (Gr.3, 1200m).
“We’d love to have her there for the 1000 Guineas (Gr.1, 1600m) as I think that much of her but here, she is at her home track and really Guineas races are a dream.”
The Gr.3 Cambridge Stud Northland Breeders’ Stakes (1200m) will be held at Ruakaka on 17 August with the Gr.1 Barneswood Farm New Zealand 1000 Guineas at Riccarton on 16 November.
Fawcett was also full of praise for the effort and expects the filly to continue to blossom.
“With the favourite being out it made more of an opportunity for us to go forward and we took that,” she said.
“She was very strong to the line and is a very nice horse.
“It’s the first I have heard of that plan (to go to the 1000 Guineas) but it sounds very exciting.”
Out of the unraced Carlton House mare Miss Vegas, Vegas Queen is closely related to seven-race winner Vegas Showgirl, the dam of superstar galloper Winx who numbered 25 Group One victories amongst her 37 career wins.
