Horse racing: Trial winner set to add performance to pedigree

Just A Floozie will make her debut at Avondale on Tuesday. Photo / Trish Dunell

The well-bred Just A Floozie’s trial performances have provided ample evidence that she has inherited a good share of the family ability.

Prepared at Byerley Park by Peter and Dawn Williams, the 2-year-old daughter of I Am Invincible was a runaway winner in her lead-up outing ahead of a much-awaited race day debut in the Avondale Classic (1200m) today.

The stable also has another strong winning chance at Avondale with the in-form Pour The Wine to contest the New Zealand Equine Academy 3YO (1400m).

Just A Floozie boasts a rich pedigree and combined with the booking of in-form jockey Michael McNab and a handy barrier of five will present the filly with a gilt-edged opportunity to make the perfect start to her career.

“She can sit in behind them or lead, she’s pretty adaptable from what we’ve seen at the trials so far,” Peter Williams said.

“She’s just a lovely type of filly and has been pretty professional so we’ll wait and see what happens, but she seems to be a pretty smart type.”

Just A Floozie has had three 800m trials and finished runner-up in her first outing in early November and later that month went one better in fine style.

She missed the jump and came from well back on the turn to score under hands and heels riding.

Just A Floozie was then given a break and earlier this month returned at the Avondale trials where she was quickly into stride to make the running and coasted home to score by four-and-a-half lengths.

“This is her third prep and she’s pretty straight forward, she’s done everything very well,” Williams said.

“She looks an exciting filly, but we’ve had a fair bit of rain so we’ll have to wait and see how the track comes up. Soft ground will be fine and Avondale is a good track,” Williams said.

Just A Floozie was bred by James Chapman’s Jamieson Park, who remain in the ownership group after she failed to meet her $500,000 reserve at New Zealand Bloodstock’s National Yearling Sale at Karaka.

She is a daughter of the Group 1 Thorndon Mile (1600m) winner Thee Auld Floozie, who also claimed two editions of the Group 2 Westbury Classic (1400m) and the Group 3 Sunline Vase (2100m).

The second and third dams Thee Auld Hussie and Thee Old Dragon were also quality performers and successful at stakes level.

Meanwhile, Telperion 3-year-old Pour The Wine was a multiple placegetter before returning this preparation for a first-up maiden victory at Pukekohe.

“She’s a bit stronger this time in and her last run was also very good. She was caught three wide the whole trip and still fought hard,” Williams said.

On a return visit to Pukekohe, Pour The Wine was narrowly denied consecutive victories by Fellini in a competitive age group line-up over 1400m.

“I think she can develop into quite a nice handicapper in time, she does everything right,” Williams said.

Pour The Wine was bred by part-owner Daniel Nakhle, co-founder of the Byerley Park training complex with his father Elias, and is a daughter of the six-time winner and stakes performer Needlly.