When four-year-old mare Simply Xtravagant came into Brett Robb’s stable in Dubbo, he thought he’d be hard pressed to get any racing out of her, let alone win a race.
Originally with Tony & Calvin McEvoy, the then three-year-old filly managed to win her maiden at Pakenham Synthetic at her fourth start but struggled in her second preparation and was transferred to Robb’s care.
“I was looking at a photo of her last night when she first arrived here and I remember looking at her going jeez we’re not going to get much racing out of her.”
“She came in here on a free lease… Mark Pilkington (Seymour Bloodstock) bought her half-brother, he’d performed over in Hong Kong and they thought she might’ve been worth a bit of money as a broodmare so he just said ‘try and win as many as you can,” Robb said.
Connections paid just $9000 for her on Inglis Digital in June and would be thrilled with the mare’s performance, winning a Class 1 at Dubbo second up and remaining unbeaten in four runs since, taking out the Cotton Cup (1600m) at Warren last start.
She’s amassed $84,050 in six starts under Robb’s care but a much bigger payday looms, the mare set to contest The Country Classic (2000m) at Rosehill on Saturday, with a total purse of $160,000.
Robb is confident the mare can rise to the challenge, but admits the distance remains a query.
“First start she came here she ran third, then she’s won five straight. Every time she steps up in class she keeps producing, she’s a deadest little tryer, a little beauty,” Robb said.
“I’m not sure on that (2000m), she got the mile the other day, all I know is she beats them out of the barriers, she jumps, she settles, she relaxes a lot and when you push the button she goes.”
Robb scored the biggest win of his career in April this year when $61 chance Sizzle Minizzle won the $500,000 Country Championships Final and is hoping Simply Xtravagant can add another feature win at Rosehill, remaining nonchalant about the possibility.
“Hopefully, that’d be good.”