It wasn’t the race Ciaron Maher and owners Kevin and Vicky Payne had their eyes on coming into the campaign, but Estriella returned to winning form on the day of the world’s richest sprint race.
The classy mare put two unplaced runs in Group 1 races earlier in the campaign behind her with a thrilling win in the Group 2 Millennium Sprint (1000m).
Maher hoped to earn a spot in the $20 million The Everest via the Moir Stakes and Manikato Stakes, in which she finished fourth and seventh, and while that race was run in Sydney without her the stable was just glad to see her back a winner.
“She’s mixed it with the best as we know,” Maher’s assistant trainer Jack Turnbull said of the win, which came not long before stablemate Bella Nipotina won this year’s The Everest.
“She was wide in the Moir and then she did a bit of work in the Manikato and it didn’t work out, so we’ve reset, come back in trip, and she did well today.
“She’s carried 59 (kilograms) on a soft track, it’s not her go.
“It’s fantastic for Kevin and Vicky with a Group 2 win now and we can have a look at some major sprints at the end of the carnival.”
The four-year-old daughter of I Am Invincible, who had Ben Melham in the saddle and started $5.50, held on for a thrilling short-half-head win over $3.20 wagering sites favourite Rey Magnerio, who flashed late after being held up in the straight.
Third, one length further back, was Spacewalk ($7.50).
“It was actually my intention to get a little cover if the race layout permitted but she flew out and I didn’t want to take the lead away from her when she was able to lead comfortably,” Melam said.
“She was running good sections and held them all the way to the line, albeit she’d had enough on the line but good to see her back in the winner’s circle.”
The win was Estriella’s first at Group 2 level and took her career record to five wins from 11 starts.