Well-related filly Sudbina took advantage of a step-out of stakes company at Hastings on Saturday, taking an eye-catching victory in the CACI Hawke’s Bay 3YO (1400m).
Displaying promise early into her three-year-old season, Sudbina broke maiden status at start three, and subsequently was thrown the challenge of black-type racing in her following two starts in the Gr.2 Soliloquy Stakes (1400m), and the Gr.3 Bonecrusher Stakes (1400m).
After finishing a creditable sixth in a star-studded Soliloquy field, which included top-line Northern fillies in Impendabelle and Molly Bloom, Sudbina finished fourth in a compact Bonecrusher field headed by Lupo Solitario.
Returning to open three-year-old company at Hastings, punters recognised Sudbina’s class and backed her into $4.10 second-favouritism, only bettered by consistent Central Districts filly Fashion Icon at $3.90.
Sudbina jumped cleanly on-par with the front-runners from the 1400m, but was allowed by jockey Kozzi Asano to settle back off the rail as Bella Corno dictated the pace early. The daughter of Almanzor travelled comfortably into the straight, though had given Fashion Icon a healthy head-start, but as she descended down the middle of a testing Hastings track, Sudbina rocketed past the favourite to score by a ½ length.
Robert Wellwood, who trains the filly in partnership with Roger James, praised Asano’s tactics which ultimately proved the winning of the race on the Heavy8 surface.
“She was ridden well, Kozzi got her into a lovely rhythm and probably found the best part of the track in the straight. It was good to see her hit the line strongly,” he said.
Kingsclere Stables prepare the filly on behalf of owner-breeders Frantic Bloodstock and Haunui Farm, her dam Destined also having produced a three-time Group Two-winner in Fix.
“Haunui and Cathy (Franich) sent us the horse, she has a good pedigree and has now won two so hopefully we can carry on and get some black-type in the near future,” Wellwood said.
“She’s a half to Fix, so she would be a valuable filly should we get some black-type.”
The Cambridge-based training partnership have enjoyed a fruitful season with their three-year-old cohort, with Group Three-winning colt Zabmanzor currently rated a $4.00 Tab Futures chance for the Gr.1 Cambridge Stud Levin Classic (1600m) at Trentham on January 13, while talented filly Orchestral has announced herself as a top-liner for the $1.5 million Karaka Million 3YO (1600m) a fortnight later.
Sudbina may appear in the latter meeting during the Wellington Cup Carnival, with Wellwood indicating a step-up to the mile is on the cards with the Gr.3 New Zealand Bloodstock Desert Gold Stakes (1600m).
“We may look to head to the Desert Gold on the 20th, but we’ve just got to see how she comes through this and decide whether we think she can go a mile or not.”