Wide path suits Fascination Street

Model race mare Fascination Street’s quest for a black type victory ended successfully at Rotorua on Saturday.

She took the widest berth in the Listed Windsor Park Stud Rotorua Stakes and the long way home proved to be right path when she lowered the colours of the Group One winner Platinum Witness.

“She really deserved today’s win, she’s been so consistent all season,” said Andrew Scott, who trains the four-year-old with Lance O’Sullivan.

Yet to finish out of the money in her career, Fascination Street was placed at two in the Listed Ryder Stakes and she also gained stakes credits at three in the Gr.2 Hawke’s Bay Guineas and the Gr.3 Gold Trail Stakes when prepared by John Sargent.

She was transferred to O’Sullivan and Scott when Sargent relocated to Sydney and in eight starts for Wexford Stables she has collected three wins and five further minors.

Fascination Street settled midfield on the outer and headed toward the outside fence across the top.

“It was a good ride by Michael to get out wide and it was encouraging the way she ran the 1400 metres out,” Scott said.

“She can handle the give in the ground and this race matched up well with the conditions and the distance.”

Fascination Street had a length and a half to spare at the post and rider Michael Coleman said he had no concerns during the race.

“We were out wide and she pulled herself into it. She travelled keenly through the ground and she got the job done well.”

In her first appearance since finishing runner-up in the Gr.1 New Zealand Oaks, Platinum Witness made a solid return in preparation for her Brisbane trip and a crack at the Gr.1 Queensland Oaks.

Fascination Street and Platinum Witness had the finish to themselves with The Filly a distant third ahead of Marotiri Miss.