Tassort fillies ran the quinella in the Group II ATC Darley Furious Stakes (1200m) at Randwick on Saturday after both placing two weeks ago in the Group II ATC Silver Shadow Stakes, but this time the placings were reversed with Manaal a head in front of Ameena.
Trained by Michael Freedman and ridden by Jason Collett, Manaal met the other fillies better at the weights this time and her class was able to get her home.
She let down with a good finish and had enough left to hold off Ameena to win by a head with the previously unbeaten Snitzel filly Lazzura in third place.
Winner of the Group I ATC Sires Produce Stakes last season, Manaal has the overall record of four wins and two placings from eight starts with prizemoney topping $1.4million.
“It was good to get her back in the winner’s circle as she had that run in the Champagne at the end of the autumn and was then third first up, so we are very happy,” said Michael Freedman.
“She goes to the Tea Rose (G2 1400m) next and it will be an intriguing race with Chris Waller’s filly (Autumn Glow) coming into the mix, so onwards and upwards to the Tea Rose.”
Bred and retained to race by Emirates Park, Manaal is the best of three winners from Midshipman mare Red Lodge (USA), a stakes-winning half-sister to stakes-winner Good Like Magic and a granddaughter of the exceptional dual Group I winner Memories Of Silver.
Red Lodge has produced fillies by I Am Invincible and Zoustar in her past two seasons and is now in foal to Storm Boy’s sire Justify (USA).
Tassort was super popular last spring covering 232 mares at a fee of $11,000 and has had a deserved increase this year to stand at $38,500.
– Newgate Farm
