Written by Trent Masenhelder
Cover image courtesy of Magic Millions
Trapeze Artist filly Lady Of Poise provided a special milestone for Gu Tao - owner of the southern highlands operation Zhongli Thoroughbreds - on Thursday. The 2-year-old became Tao’s first homebred winner when she was first home in Race 4 at Kembla Grange.
The filly is the second winner from Blueberry Hill (Myboycharlie {Ire}) - the winner of the 2015 G2 Champagne Classic at Doomben - and she herself was a $600,000 yearling, before Zhongli Thoroughbreds paid $220,000 for her from the Widden Stud draft at the 2020 Magic Millions Gold Coast National Broodmare Sale.
Lady Of Poise was passed in at the 2022 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale when offered by Fairview Park Stud with a reserve of $250,000.
Lady Of Poise as a yearling | Image courtesy of Magic Millions
Zhongli Thoroughbreds’ Jonathan Scully said Tao got a huge kick out of Lady Of Poise’s triumph.
“He was very excited because it’s his first homebred winner. It’s a special day for him,” Scully told TTR AusNZ.
“Hopefully, we can get some black type with her down the track, that’s the aim with her.”
“He (Gu Tao) was very excited because it’s (Lady Of Poise) his first homebred winner. It’s a special day for him.” - Jonathan Scully
The Tulloch Lodge-trained Lady Of Poise handed her sire his second win in consecutive days, following Flying Concello’s victory at Sandown-Hillside on Wednesday. The filly is the ninth winner for Trapeze Artist, who stands at Widden Stud this spring at a fee of $55,000 (inc GST).
Lady Of Poise, who had shown promise at the trials ahead of her debut, was ridden by Regan Bayliss and posted a 0.8l win, with Well Timed (Nicconi) second and Lady Jezam (Written By) third.
“She didn’t have it her own way, she did a lot of work, but she did it quite easily in the end,” Scully explained.
“We were expecting a reasonable debut and we were hoping we would get a win on the board as a 2-year-old, so we’ve just snuck that in time.
“Adrian said he will take her back to the stable now and just evaluate and see where we go from here, whether she pushes on or goes for a quick spell and gets ready for the spring.”
Lady Of Poise’s grandam, Perkispey (Falbrav {Ire}), was unraced and is a half-sister to Kissed By A King (Desert King {Ire}) - the dam of the Listed winner Black Ahead (Lonhro). The filly’s third dam is the 1999 Listed Research S. heroine Brief Kiss (Brief Truce {USA}).
A sister to Lady Of Poise made $60,000 at this year’s Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale (Book 2). Offered by Lyndhurst Stud Farm, she was bought by David Pfieffer Racing/Koolman Bloodstock.
Blueberry Hill has a So You Think (NZ) filly on the ground and was covered last spring by The Autumn Sun.
“Her (Lady Of Poise) So You Think half-sister is a cracking filly and we will sell her next year,” said Scully.
