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Quality mare Ortensia showed she is liking her change of stable when she powered away under Darren Beadman to win the $150 000 Mumm Stakes at Flemington on Thursday.
A top sprinting filly at three, with a record of five wins and four places from nine starts, she seemed to lose her way at four and five. Her only win came in the Grade 2 Winterbottom Stakes at Ascot, almost two years ago. A trip to Hong Kong in December 2010, yielded a creditable 5th in the Group 1 Hong Kong Sprint at Sha Tin.
A stud career in the Hunter Valley was planned, but with Paul Messara just down the road, the owners could not resist to have one more campaign.
Jumping cleanly from the break, the field again moved over to the outside rail, with Anabaa's Legacy, Miss Octopussy and Centexpress going the best of all.
Ortensia sat quietly in midfield, about three lengths off the leaders. Beadman gave the mare a great ride, taking the gaps as they opened up and by the 400m, Ortensia popped out next to the leaders.
From there Beadman asked the mare to step up a gear and by the 300 she was clear and lengthened away to win by two. Balmont (Commands), who had raced at the back of the field most of the way, came flying up late to snatch second from long time front runner, Miss Octopussy (Lonhro), who finished a neck back in third.
Messara was justifiably pleased with the mare. “Everything went to plan today. She was all class today.”
“When you've got a horse for the first time you are always unsure before its first start whether you have done enough or too much. It's a fine balance, especially with these older mares and trying to keep them happy so that is what we've tried to do.”
Messara explained that the mare enjoyed being on the farm and that the relaxed training environment clearly suited her.
Beadman praised the mare, commenting that it was so easy he did not even raise a sweat.
“She travelled really nice and sweet for me and when I clicked her into gear she got there quickly. She idled the last furlong so it was a pretty good effort," he said.
The daughter of Testa Rossa, out of the Picnicker mare Aerate's Pick, recorded her ninth win from 28 starts. The Stakes win increased her earnings to $247 405 for owners A D Fraser, Ms A Fraser and Miss E J Ridley.
