Written by Georgie Dennis
Night Raid (Vancouver) stepped into stakes grade with ease as she took out the Listed Inglis Ready2Race Atlantic Jewel S. at The Valley on Saturday.
From the in-form stable of Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr, Night Raid was last seen blitzing the field in a Tatura maiden by over 7l and she brought that form to town with a tough victory at just her third ever start.
Given a near perfect ride by Mark Zahra, the 3-year-old filly settled in just behind the front runner and once she found clear air in the straight, she pinned her ears back and burst through to score the win.
Dirty Thoughts (So You Think {NZ}) raced on the speed and was in front with 100 metres to go, holding on to finish third while Aidensfield (Dissident) came from back in the field to finish second.
"It was a really good win today, it looked a bit tricky on the corner but she's good enough to win," Kent Jnr said.
"It was a good test (for her). A Good (3) track, quality fillies that have done it before. She measured up. Hopefully we're looking at a (Thousand) Guineas campaign now, that would be the plan."
Night Raid is likely to have her next start in the G2 Thousand Guineas Prelude and will be targeted at the G1 Thousand Guineas and Kent Jnr said he thought the progeny of Coolmore sire Vancouver would appreciate the mile.
"We've got a few Vancouvers at home and we had the feeling that they would like a mile,” he said.
"We've got a few Vancouvers at home and we had the feeling that they would like a mile." - Michael Kent Jnr
"This filly's dam was second in a Group 1 sprint in New Zealand. We're optimistic that she'll be scopey enough to be a miler.”
Zahra echoed the co-trainer’s thoughts about stepping her up to a mile.
"She's got a beautiful big stride on her and a great attitude. Up in trip will help, I think, because she'll be able to travel for longer," he said.
Night Raid winning the Listed Inglis Ready2Race Atlantic Jewel S.
Purchased by Sheamus Mills Bloodstock and Mick Price Racing for $160,000 at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale, Night Raid is one of five winners out of Raid (NZ) (Pins), who won the Listed Lion Red Plate and was placed in the G1 Diamond S., G2 Matamata Breeders' S. and Karaka Million.
She has also produced stakes performers Mujallad (Redoute’s Choice), Tarismo (Testa Rossa) and Platinum Bullet (Shooting To Win) and is out of winning O’Reilly (NZ) mare Vanilla Sky (NZ).
Vanilla Sky is responsible for multiple Group 1-winning Widden Stud resident Stratum Star and talented colt Prague (Redoute’s Choice).
Night Raid becomes the second stakes winner for young Coolmore sire Vancouver, the other being South African Grade 2 winner Mount Pleasent.
Second-season sire Vancouver stands at Coolmore’s Jerrys Plains for a fee of $30,250 (inc GST) this season.
Night Raid as a yearling
