Trainer Brian Dean had many good reasons to be chuffed when debutant Eva’s Day scored a stylish win on Friday night.
The Australian handler bred the Domesday filly with Kambula Stud principal David Toole out of Miss Blake, a full sister to one of only two horses to have given him a Group success, Oneninetyfive. And to top it off nicely as a warm homespun family event, the name Eva’s Day was given by his granddaughter Tahlia.
With top South African jockey Robbie Fradd (now rides in Australia) in the irons, Oneninetyfive took out the Group 3 Singapore Three-Year-Old Sprint (1200m) in 2008 for Dean’s second feature success after World Airlines landed the Group 2 EW Barker Trophy a few months earlier. Dean, who has never really had any superstars in his stable, has not won another big race since then.
While Eva's Day’s lineage boasts speed in abundance with Domesday (x Red Ransom) being a sprinter who ran fifth in the 2005 Golden Slipper and Miss Blake being in the same mould as Oneninetyfive, Dean is convinced the filly can get a trip.
“She’s still green and learning what racing is all about but she’s got stacks of ability and will get there one day,” said Dean.
“She sure has things going for her and she will also be better over grass. Lisa (Allpress) rated her very well today, she was just too good when she ran away from them.
“I bred this filly with David Toole from Kambula Stud in South Australia. She is the first to come to us.
“There is another yearling that I bought and will go to (trainer) Shane Fliedner in Bendigo and if things work out well, the plan is to bring the colt to Singapore for the two-year-old races.”
With wife Wendy and a host of other Australian friends around, Dean was gleefully popping the champagne and cracking a few jokes at the post-race celebrations.
“It was a great effort to get her to the races and win first-up. She trialled over 900m back home and it was always the plan to send up here with the better stakes money in Singapore,” said Dean.
“We didn’t have to worry about the training bills anyway! And now that she’s won first-up, that will help pay for Wendy’s holiday here!”
After being caught in an early speed battle with Baumkuchen (Alan Munro), another Kranji newcomer and Stock Broker (Matthew Kellady), Eva’s Day, who was sent out as the $12 favourite, showed superior speed to kick clear at the top of the straight.
The Thai-owned and Shane Baertschiger-trained Stock Broker, who took the drop between the eye-balling pair from the 600m, looked like he would have the last laugh, but Dean’s filly never faltered to score by 3 ¾ lengths from Stock Broker with Baumkuchen holding on for third another 1 ¼ lengths away. The winning time was1min 6.5secs for the 1100m on Polytrack opf the $65,000 Initiation race.
Allpress who was revisiting the winner’s enclosure after more than one month (last winner was War Lord for Leslie Khoo on September 7) lauded the filly’s gameness throughout the race.
“She’s a nice filly and got the job done,” said the Kiwi jockey. “She got to the front a bit early but to her credit she dug deep.
“On that run, I think she’ll go a bit further. For sure, I am looking forward to riding her again.”
