Waikato Stud was the dominant force in the Gr.2 Queen of the South Stakes at Morphettville with Fabric (NZ) (Ocean Park) and Shop Til I Drop (NZ) (Savabeel) quinellaing the mares’ feature.
Bred and raced by the Matamata farm, Fabric produced a well-timed finish to lift her future broodmare value when she returns to the nursery.
Trained by Danny O’Brien, the daughter of Ocean Park had finished runner-up when resuming at Caulfield at her previous appearance and appreciated the step up to 1600 metres.
She enjoyed a good run one off the rail and answered every call from rider Craig Williams in the straight.
“We left the options up to Craig and she’s had quite a few races when she’s jumped on the speed and sat there and finished off and had races when she’s gone back,” O’Brien stable representative Ben Gleeson said.
“Craig gave her a peach of a ride and sat a few pairs back and produced her at the right time. She got the stakes win that she deserved as she’s been a bit unlucky with a few placings.
“It’s great for Waikato Stud and she’s a very valuable broodmare prospect now.”
A half-sister to the Listed Taranaki Oaks Prelude winner Sewreel (NZ) (Savabeel), Fabric is a daughter of the unraced Pins mare Haberdashery (NZ).
She is a half-sister to the Gr.1 Queensland Derby winner Lachlan River (Desert King) and the family of the Gr.2 Swettenham Stud Stakes winner French Bid (Anabaa).
Shop Til I Drop was purchased by Peachester Lodge for $270,000 at Karaka and is a daughter of the Gr.2 Angus Armanasco Stakes winner Shopaholic (NZ) (Pins) with the second dam Splashing Out (NZ) (O’Reilly), successful in the Gr.3 Thoroughbred Club Stakes, a three-quarter sister to the late multiple Group One winner and producer Sacred Falls (NZ) (O’Reilly).
