Racing: Joyfilly Ours continues to make impression

Joyfilly Ours. Photo / Trish Dunell

A New Zealand Group One performer is making all the right moves from her new Randwick quarters.

Manawatu Sires' Produce Stakes placegetter Joyfilly continues to impress trainers Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott after crossing the Tasman in the autumn.

"They are really happy with her, she's settled in well and she's a fit and happy horse," racing manager Emma Pearce said of the three-year-old daughter of Highly Recommended.

Renamed Joyfilly Ours for her Australian career, the horse has trialled twice this month on her adopted home track in preparation for a return to racing this Saturday.

"All of the jockeys that have ridden her have made good comments about her," Pearce said. "She's going to run in the Furious Stakes first-up.

"It's the first step in the Princess series so that's the likely route she'll follow."

The Gr.2 Furious Stakes will be run over 1200m, with the Gr.2 Tea Rose Stakes over 1400m to follow a fortnight later, and the Gr.1 Flight Stakes at 1600m on September 30. They will all be run at Randwick.

Joyfilly Ours began her career with Cambridge trainer and part-owner Chris Wood and was runner-up in the Gr.2 Matamata Breeders' Stakes at her third appearance before she won at Matamata.

She signed off at Awapuni with a strong third in the Sires' Produce Stakes behind the Karaka Million winner Melody Belle, also subsequently successful in the Gr.2 BTC Sires' Produce Stakes at Eagle Farm.

- NZ Racing Desk