Exciting filly Travelling Light bounced back to winning form when she took out the Listed Uncle Remus Stakes (1400m) at Ellerslie on Boxing Day.
The El Roca 3-year-old was having her first run since finishing third in the Group 1 New Zealand 1000 Guineas (1600m) at Riccarton last month.
Thatwas the first defeat for Travelling Light at just her fourth career start and she showed she had taken plenty of experience from the race and trip down south with a thoroughly professional performance to defeat promising colt Harlech in a desperate finish to the contest.
Stand-in rider Jason Waddell, who was substituting for the suspended Sam Collett, took a midfield sit off a torrid pace set up by My World before improving into a challenging position approaching the home turn.
However, the five-week break between runs looked to be taking its toll on the filly who was in danger of being run down by the fast-finishing Harlech and Hasstobegood.
"My condolences to Sam Collett as she has ridden this horse in every piece of work, every trial and every raceday and an untimely suspension cost her the ride," Waddell said.
Owner Col MacRury was still trying to catch his breath as he waited in the Ellerslie birdcage for the filly he co-bred and owns with father Ian.
"She did that on sheer ability and she will definitely go to the Levin Classic [Group 1, 1600m] next."
• In what has proved a tumultuous and tragic week for Cambridge Stud owners Brendan and Jo Lindsay, the victory of 2-year-old filly Taroni and then underrated mare Pretty To Sea in the Listed Hallmark Stud Handicap (1200m) at Ellerslie yesterday has brought a small measure of joy to the couple.
Pretty To Sea beats Avantage to win the Listed Hallmark Stud Sprint (1200m) at Ellerslie. Photo / Trish Dunell
The Lindsays had the misfortune to lose their outstanding stallion Tavistock during the week, which cast a pall across the entire stud before personal tragedy struck with the sudden death of Brendan Lindsay's sister, Sonya Harper.
The close knit New Zealand racing community breathed a sigh of relief when Taroni saluted in the familiar black and gold Lindsay racing colours in the second race on the Ellerslie programme, and when Pretty To Sea caused a minor boilover in the feature sprint on the card, there were hugs and smiles all around for the Cambridge couple.
Unlucky at her previous start when slow away from the barriers at Te Rapa, Pretty To Sea enjoyed a copybook ride from ex-pat Kiwi Mick Dee who had her travelling sweetly in midfield throughout, albeit a long way off tearaway pacemaker Mumms Jewel.
With a wall of horses across the track at the 200m mark, Dee and Pretty To Sea dashed to the lead, with favourite Avantage in hot pursuit. The pair set down to a tight tussle, with the Ocean Park mare gaining the upper hand to win by a head.
Trainer Stephen Marsh was delighted with the victory given the circumstances it was gained in.
"If there was one horse that could win [yesterday], I wanted this for Brendan and Jo."
Marsh has his eyes on a Group 1 prize with the mare, as she holds a nomination for the Group 1 Sistema Railway (1200m) back at Ellerslie on New Year's Day.
