NEWS
Small Minds, Rostova win Group 1 races at Morphettville
Posted: Saturday, March 20, 2010 5:21 PM
by Myra Lewyn
Small Minds overcame a wide trip by gaining command on the home turn and holding off stablemate No Evidence Needed by a neck to win the $275,045 Schweppes Australasian Oaks (G1) on Saturday at Morphettville.
The win was the first at the top level for Small Minds and Victorian jockey Dean Holland as well as for John Thompson since being named head trainer at Norman Tinkler’s Patinack Farm. Not only did Patinack Farm runners fill the top two spots in the 16-horse field, the one-two finish marked a sweep for Darley stallions.
Small Minds is by Darley’s Australian-based Canny Lad and No Evidence Needed is by Darley’s Irish-based shuttler Shamardal.
“We thought they would go well, that’s why they were there,” Thompson told the Australian Associated Press from Rosehill Gardens, where he watched the race. His brother Glenn sent out the stablemates and was confident before the race.
“It was a great effort seeing [Small Minds] was three-wide all the way,” John Thompson said.
Small Minds, who is out of the Yeats mare Princess Marigold, covered 2,000 meters (9.94 furlongs) in 2:06.44 on turf rated as good while earning her second consecutive stakes victory. She entered off a 1¼-length win in the Adelaide Airport T1 Adelaide Guineas on March 8 at Morphettville and improved to four wins in 12 career starts.
No Evidence Needed, who finished a promising third in the Tapcorp A. V. Kewney Stakes (Aus-G2) on March 6 at Flemington, outfinished recent maiden winner Ipioga by a neck for second. Favorite Speedy Natalie failed to finish the race.
Also on the card, Rostova earned an elusive Group 1 victory while halting a year-long winless skid in the $275,045 Sportingbet Classic Robert Sangster Stakes (Aus-G1).
The three-year-old Testa Rossa filly settled well off the early pace, gamely split horses at the top of the lane to seize command, and fended off multiple Group 3 winner Velocitea for a three-quarter-length win.
Guided by Steven King, Rostova finished in 1:09.42 for the 1,200 meters (5.97 furlongs) while winning for the first time since capturing the 1,400-meter (6.96- furlong) Volunteers Sires’ Produce Stakes (Aus-G2) on March 7, 2009, at Flemington.
Rostova began her career with three consecutive wins, including the Arrowfield Stud Blue Diamond Prelude (Aus-G3). She was a favorite for 2009 Arrowfield Stud Blue Diamond Stakes (Aus-G1) last February but finished fifth. She followed her Volunteers Sires’ Produce victory with a sixth-place finish in the AAMI Golden Slipper Stakes (Aus-G1) and a third-place finish in the Sydney Children’s Hospital Sires’ Produce Stakes (Aus-G1) amidst her winless stretch before delivering on her Group 1 potential on Saturday.
Trainer Steve Richards thinks the Robert Sangster distance was perfect for Rostova.
“Back to 1,200 meters, ridden back off the pace, and with the speed on, it really suited her,” Richards told www.racingandsports.com.
Owned by a partnership, Rostova is out of the Anabaa mare Space Talk and has won five of 14 career starts.
Myra Lewyn is a Thoroughbred Times TODAY editor
