Cambridge mare Moxie upsets favourites to win Classic at Ellerslie

Moxie was ridden by Lynsey Satherley as they smashed the favourites in the Al Basti Equiworld Dubai Classic at Ellerslie. Photo / Kenton Wright

Cambridge mare Moxie lived up to her name when defying the odds to take out the opening feature race at Ellerslie on Champions Day – the Group 2 Al Basti Equiworld Dubai Classic.

While jumping a $17.50 outsider, the daughter of Strasbourg took a solid form line into the race, having placed in the Listed Fulton Family Stakes (1500m) at Ellerslie in January, a week after running sixth in the Group 3 Aotearoa Classic (1600m).

Trainer and part-owner Ken Harrison elected to freshen the 4-year-old mare and aim her towards the mares’ feature on Champions Day, where she was the lowest-rated horse in the race.

Moxie jumped away well and settled midfield for jockey Lynsey Satherley, who sat quietly on her mare while a hot pace was set up front.

Entering the home straight, Satherley looked for an inside passage but the gap closed. She didn’t panic, opting instead to steer her charge into a gap three wide and once Moxie balanced up she showed a terrific turn of foot and bounded to the lead at the 200m mark. She saw off the challenge of Sydney raider Chica Mojito on her inside to win by a length, with a further head back to Quintessa in third.

Satherley, who rode Moxie to her last start placing, was rapt to get the result for the horse and her trainer.

“She deserves that,” Satherley said. “She has got amazing sectionals and she can really reel it off. I was lucky enough to get a nice enough run in transit, and they ticked along at a really good speed. It was a really good effort by her.

“I have only gotten to sit on her twice and she has given me great runs both times. Hats off to the trainer, it is a massive effort from them. Good on them, they deserve it.”

Harrison was composed after the victory, but said he was pleased his plan came off.

“It’s pretty unreal,” he said. “We just thought we would freshen her up and bring her back to 1400m, which might be her go, and it worked out.

“I am happy as.”

Bred by Hormac Bloodstock, Moxie is out of winning Pentire mare Pearly Kate, a full-sister to Group 3 performer Calm Customer and half-sister to stakes performer Southern Courage.

Moxie was offered through Lyndhurst Farm’s 2023 New Zealand Bloodstock Book 2 Yearling Sale draft where she was purchased by Harrison for $10,000.

She has gone on to win five of her 11 starts to date and has earned just shy of $500,000 in prizemoney.

– LOVERACING.NZ News Desk