Cover image courtesy of Ashlea Brennan
Wednesday’s impressive Warwick Farm debut winner Amazonian Lass (More Than Ready {USA}) may get the chance to earn valuable black type this time in, according to Go Bloodstock’s director Steve O’Connor.
The Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott-trained filly is from More Than Ready’s (USA) final Southern Hemisphere crop and was knocked down to her trainers and Kestrel Thoroughbreds for $325,000 at the 2022 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale, when consigned by Segenhoe Stud.
Amazonian Lass was bred by Go Bloodstock, who have retained a share in the filly and race her in partnership with others, including Mystery Downs’ Francis and Christine Cook.
Amazonian Lass as a yearling | Image courtesy of Magic Millions
O’Connor, told TDN AusNZ the filly may not be as precocious as her talented stablemate, the Group 3-winning Red Resistance (Russian Revolution), who was also bred by Go Bloodstock, but she has the class and scope to be winning at stakes level.
“He’s a lot sharper and more forward and he’s ready to go. We think he’s a bit of a monster and his time is the next few weeks. We think this filly has a bit more scope about her,” O’Connor said.
“She’s from a good European family and we expect her to get out over a bit further.”
“She’s (Amazonian Lass) from a good European family and we expect her to get out over a bit further.” - Steve O’Connor
After putting the writing on the wall at the trials, Amazonian Lass was well-fancied for her debut in Race 1 at Warwick Farm - a 1100-metre 2YO H., but the punters’ elect was James Cummings’ last start Hawkesbury maiden winner Stanislaus (Exceed And Excel).
With Brett Prebble in the saddle, Amazonian Lass jumped on terms and soon found the front. The filly was there to be beaten, but found plenty late in the peace to defy Stanislaus by 0.35l.
“It was great. We knew she was going well, she trialled super. She showed improvement from her first trial to her second and we were hoping she would again into raceday, and the trial form (from Rosehill) looked good; second and third came out and won trials earlier this week,” O’Connor explained.
“We were taking on colts and previous winners, so we were a bit apprehensive. We knew she was a nice filly, but didn’t know if (Wednesday) was her day.
“To do it from the front and show toughness and grit… she was super.”
“To do it from the front and show toughness and grit… she (Amazonian Lass) was super.” - Steve O’Connor
Bott echoed O’Connor’s sentiments, saying: “She is a filly going places,” he told Sky Racing.
“There is a lot of improvement to come.
“She still looked a bit new at various stages of the race, but her class got her through. She kept responding under pressure.
“She is a lovely, big, strong filly who paraded very well and had the groundwork going into the race.”
A bright future
O’Connor said a race such as the G1 Champagne S. (1600 metres), which will be run at Randwick on April 23, could be on the cards if she continues to improve.
“Speaking to Adrian and Gai after the race, they’re keen to go up in distance and target a stakes race over the autumn carnival. That would be the next step and if she performed well then, you might end up in a Champagne,” O’Connor commented.
“Speaking to Adrian (Bott) and Gai (Waterhouse) after the race, they’re keen to go up in distance and target a stakes race over the autumn carnival.” - Steve O’Connor
“At the moment, we would love to get some black type for the family. We own the dam and that would be our immediate goal.”
Amazonian Lass is from the Fastnet Rock mare Dynastic Lady – a winner at two and sister to the Group 1 scorer Age Of Fire and stakes performer Sacred Valley.
This is Dynastic Lady’s second foal, with her first, Riverplate (NZ) (Flying Artie), a three-time winner.
The filly’s grandam, Dragon’s Tail (Galileo {Ire}), was unraced and is a three-quarter sister to the stakes performer Fallen In Love (GB) (Galileo {Ire}) – the dam of the stakes winners Loving Things (GB) (Pivotal {GB}) and Serve The King (GB) (Kingman {GB}).
Amazonian Lass stretches out to win on debut at Warwick Farm | Image courtesy of Ashlea Brennan
“We were actively buying colts at the yearling sales last year,” O’Connor said.
“We’re proud of the fillies we breed and try and stay in them. We were lucky Gai and the owners allowed us to do so.”
After foaling a Lonhro colt last spring, Dynastic Lady was covered by Kia Ora Stud’s young stallion Captivant.
Prebble and Waterhouse-Bott are proving a lethal combination, with five wins and two placings from their past seven outings.
And that trend could well continue on Saturday when Prebble partners Red Resistance in the G2 Todman S. (1200 metres) at Randwick.
