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Promising filly Sanabreanna has charged home late to upstage favourite Massimo in the Listed Ernest Lee-Steere Classic at Ascot.
Settled back in the field, Sanabreanna was under riding a long way from home however sustained the run and quickened well the final furlong to overpower odds on favourite Massimo in the final strides.
The David Harrison-trained three-year-old had improved with each run this prep and went into the Listed Lee-Steere Classic (1600m) with strong form lines behind Kay Cee and Kingston Town Classic favourite Tuscan Queen.
“When you consider Tuscan Queen and them sort of horses she had to be close to favourite in this and hard to beat,” winning trainer David Harrison said.
“I think the 1600m of the Champion Fillies last start put her in good stead for this one today. She was off the bit coming to the corner but she toughed it out good and hit the line strong.”
“I knew she would keep giving. She is a tough little thing even though there is not much of her. She is all heart."
The win provided jockey Joseph Azzopardi his second stakes success since returning from an eight month stint in Singapore.
“I know she has a habit of dropping the bit before the corner,” Azzopardi said.
“Although it looked like I was struggling, I wasn’t too worried. When she got balanced she let down good.”
“I think she will be a bit better suited over a little bit further. Today dropping back from the mile to the 1400m she wasn’t quite as sharp as I thought she would be but she does have those gears when she needs them.”
Azzorpardi enjoyed good success during his stint in Singapore highlighted by his victory aboard Sun Marshall in the Group 1 Singapore Derby (1800m).
Despite a steady flow of winners in Singapore at a solid stride rate, the young hoop is happy to be back in WA.
“I just did a long term stint in Singapore and I missed home a little bit. I really enjoy it here so I’ll stick around for a while. I did think about going to Melbourne and that is still on the cards but it will be a slow slog there for a while so I thought I would stay here for a bit.”
“I didn’t go there (Singapore) to move there long term. I went there to learn a bit and get that experience. I originally went there for three months and got extended to eight months.
“I enjoyed the racing side of it, I didn’t really enjoy the lifestyle very much. I had a lot of spare time and not much to do. It got a bit boring for me and my wife didn’t really like it either. It didn’t really suit us that well, although I really enjoyed the racing side of it I think we’re happier back here.”
