The Weekend Wrap-Up!

Written on the 20 February 2017

She Will Reign - Group 2 Silver Slipper Stakes

She Will Reign ($1.35 favourite) keeps reigning in the wins with this 2yo filly taking out her third consecutive win this weekend at the Group 2 Silver Slipper Stakes (1100m) at Rosehill.

Her victory wasn't as spectacular as her first two, having missed the start by two lengths. However, jockey Ben Melham didn't panic, remaining nearest the inside when the field turned home and moving into the lead at the 250m remaining mark.

The competition from Veranillo ($9) provided some resistance but was no match for She Will Reign who romped it in, winning by one-and-a-half lengths, with Showtime coming in third.

She Will Reign, sired by Manhattan Rain is a firm favourite with Crownbet at $3.50 for the $3.5 million Group 1 Golden Slipper (1200m) at Rosehill on March 18. Keep your eye out for this champion when she runs her final Golden Slipper lead-up on March 4 at Randwick in the Group 2 Reisling Stakes (1200m).

This Golden Slipper favourite may also be the first horse confirmed to run the Everest with an investor negotiating to purchase a slot for the yet to be beaten filly in the $10 million sweepstakes in October. Not bad for a horse that was purchased at the 2016 Inglis Classic Yearling Sales for a mere $20,000. She Will Reign has to date won prize money of $458,650.00.

Terravista - Group 1 Black Caviar Lightning Stakes

It was a late start for the Group 1 Black Caviar Lightning Stakes 1000m sprint at Flemington on Saturday. As the horses were being loaded, The Quarterdeck reared and flipped over, then lashing out at the horses either side of him, as if in a state of panic. It resulted in late withdrawals of The Quarterdeck along with Faatinah and Orujo.

Half of the remaining horses seemed to struggle to settle after the incident, ending with a disappointed trainer Bryce Heys who had pinned everything on winning the race with Spieth ($6). Heys had said on race morning that victory in the Black Caviar Lightning "meant everything" and he meant it literally.

But it was the 7yo gelding Terravista ($15) who snatched the win from Spieth after making a late lunge to claim victory by half a head, with Star Turn ($4) a short head away in third.

Spieth's jockey, Hugh Bowman didn't see the winner coming.

"I thought I had the race won when I got through and there was Terravista. I couldn't believe it," Bowman said.

Labelled the world's best sprinter after his win in the 2014 Darley Classic, Terravista has since been beset by problems, mainly with his feet.

"You don't get those ones back but it's just nice for this horse to finally win another Group One," trainer Joe Pride said.

"I've thought all along he's the best horse I've ever had and if he retired winning only one Group One, I would have been shattered."

Terravista is in the twilight of his career, at least as a champion sprinter.

"If he hadn't won today, I don't know when he was gonna beat those horses," Pride said.

"Corey (Brown) rode him brilliantly. From the outside barrier, watch that ride, it was a gem," he said.

The same horses will contest the Newmarket Handicap, an even bigger race, in a fortnight and although Spieth missed out on a win this time, he is now a hot favourite to win Victoria's biggest sprint.

The Quarterdeck will also be there.

(Photo: Ben Melham riding She Will Reign to victory - Photo credit: Bradley Photographers)