Consistent South Island mare Sucre secured the biggest win of her 42 race career when she held out a swarm of challengers to snatch victory in the Listed Speight’s Mid Ale Great Easter Stakes (1400m) at Riccarton.
Prepared at Invercargill by Sean Bellew, the six-year-old mare took her earnings over the $200,000 mark with her 12th career victory and her first at stakes level. The win also provided Bellew with a double after Saperavious was successful one race earlier although the Ascot Park based mentor wasn’t on course to savour the achievement as he was away duck shooting.
“He was pretty confident about her chances today as she is just so honest – she is a real gem of the South Island this mare.
”Sean and I go back a long way to when I first started riding down here and we’ve become good friends. He helped me to win a premiership so to win a black type race for him is just so special.”Bradley can take plenty of the credit for the win after positioning his mount expertly throughout the race as he settled in midfield while race favourite The Diamond One took on the unusual role of pacemaker. As the field fanned across the track for the run home Bradley drove Sucre to the front and began the task of repelling his attackers.
The Kevin Myers trained Overtheriver loomed largest at the 150 metre mark while Toma Valea also stated to surge through on the mare’s inner. In a driving finish Sucre refused to yield and clung to a long head margin with Overtheriver holding out Toma Valea by a short head to secure second.“I got back a little further than I wished but we got a dream run and once she got to the front she just tried so hard,” reported Bradley.
“She was really a sitting duck but she’s a trier and she got the job done.”The well fancied Nashville went an honest race to finish fourth however favourite The Diamond One looked like she might be feeling the effects of her recent trek north as she dropped away to beat just two runners home.
