Racing: Mime does all the talking in Travis

Masa Tanaka rides Jimmy Lincoln to victory at Hastings on Saturday. Photo / Race Images

Quality mare Mime staked her claim at Te Rapa for a trip to Queensland next month in her quest for a first victory at the highest level.

The genuine four-year-old trumped her rivals in Saturday's $100,000 group two Travis Stakes with a performance that will have gone a long way toward convincing her connections that she deserves a crack at a group one feature in Brisbane.

"The Doomben Cup in three weeks' time will be up for discussion," said Michael Wallace, the bloodstock and racing manager for owners the China Horse Club. "She hasn't done anything wrong and been there or thereabouts since we acquired her."

The Murray Baker and Andrew Forsman-trained daughter of Mastercraftsman opened her current preparation with a close second in the Westbury Classic before she finished third in the NZ Thoroughbred Breeders' Stakes. "Murray and Andrew have been saying that they couldn't wait to get her up to 2000 metres and she's proved them right today," Wallace said.

Mime got the decision by a long neck from the longshot Endean Rose, who gave an excellent account of herself, with a nose back to Sofia Rosa, who came on well from the back.

A shake up to his normal routine appears to have lit a fire under former top juvenile Selfie who registered his second win in succession with a top performance at Te Rapa on Saturday.

The 2015 Karaka Million runner-up had looked like he would charge through the grades with ease however had frustrated on several occasions throughout a three-year-old season that saw him register a number of minor placings without reaching the winner's enclosure.

A similar pattern had emerged during his latest campaign before trainer Richard Collett decided to vary his approach with the Thewayyouare gelding. Those changes saw him break through on his home track at Pukekohe earlier in the month before continuing on with the job in fine style at Te Rapa.

Collett also acknowledged a clever ride by champion jockey Opie Bosson who saved plenty of ground against the rail before producing his charge at just the right time under the steadier of 60kgs.

"He had a lot of weight today as they all claimed round him so I think he carried 3kgs more than anyone else," he said. "The class of the field was even and he does have more ability than most of them. He only just got beaten three starts ago by the horse who won the open sprint today [(Splurge]."

Jimmy Choux found fame and fortune at Hastings during his racing days with several notable victories and in recent weeks his old home course has proved to be a successful stage for two of his talented sons.

Jimmy Choux's son Bostonian is now spelling after remaining unbeaten in two appearances, the last of them at Hawke's Bay where on Saturday Jimmy Lincoln produced a tidy performance to win at the first time of asking in the Wellington Maiden.

"He jumped and ran and kept out of trouble," said trainer Lisa Latta, who paid $150,000 at Karaka for the horse on behalf of John Street's Lincoln Farms Bloodstock.

After clearing the gates quickly, Jimmy Lincoln travelled comfortably on the fence and he held a strong gallop under Masa Tanaka to beat Come In Spinner, another son of Jimmy Choux, and Van Halen.

- NZ Racing Desk