Australian-bred Evalina landed Friday’s Levin Stakes (Listed) at Otaki.
Runner-up in the Reginald Allen Handicap (Listed) when trained in Australia by Kris Lees, Evalina's victory provided her Yarraman Park-based sire with his 50th stakes winner.
The four-year-old daughter of I Am Invincible who is raced by JML Bloodstock was having just her second start for Stephen Marsh on Friday. Her new trainer was optimistic heading into the race, but said he was hoping for her to achieve another stakes placing.
Settled at the rear of the field for jockey Danielle Johnson after jumping slowly from the gates, Evalina continued to trail the field turning for home. However, Johnson was able to steer her into a gap out wide and she reeled in her opposition, winning by two lengths from What A Smasher with Rock 'N' Affair, Sweepstakes and Satu Lagi triple heating for third.
"I thought it would be a blistering speed and she would get back off the bit and I would have been happy if she ran home for a nice third," said Marsh.
"But the speed wasn't on and she did relax really well.
"Her trial before she went to the races was enormous and her work has been good, but I certainly didn't expect her to power over the top of them like she did, especially at this speed, but I am rapt," he added.
Evalina was a $280,000 purchase by Bruce Perry Bloodstock from the draft of John Muir's Milburn Creek at the 2017 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale. She has now won 5 times and placed 5 times from 13 starts earning $169,647.
She is out of the winning Lonhro mare Tahnee Topaz with this being the family of Group 1 winners Shogun Lodge, Referral and Singing The Blues. I Am Invincible stood for a carrer high fee of $247,500 (inc GST) this year.
