3 minute read

Winter Bride has been set to retire to stud as a winner in the Group Two Dane Ripper Stakes at a Eagle Farm.

Well-performed mare Winter Bride will get one last chance to add to her black-type credentials in the Group Two Dane Ripper Stakes at Eagle Farm.

The mare, who is raced by the Segenhoe Stud, is earmarked to head to the breeding barn after Saturday.

Winter Bride has won nine races, including three in Group Three company as well as being Group One-placed when second in the Railway Stakes at Ellerslie in New Zealand.

She is by stallion Not A Single Doubt who is a noted sire of broodmares which means Winter Bride is already a valuable stud proposition.

Trainer Toby Edmonds would love Winter Bride to go out with a Group Two win under her belt.

"Her runs in top grade have all been good and she could have easily won a Group One," Edmonds said.

"In the Railway Stakes she drew wide and went around deep the whole way before just failing to catch the winner.

"We then took her to Wellington for a Group One where she ran into more trouble than you would have thought possible."

Winter Bride had another Group One run when eighth in the Stradbroke Handicap at Eagle Farm last Saturday.

"She was very good in the Stradbroke. Our horse Tyzone won the race so naturally he got all the attention," Edmonds said.

"But Winter Bride was one of the better runs in the race."

Edmonds said Winter Bride had come through the Stradbroke run in good order.

"We thought she deserved one more chance to add to her black type. She is a long time retired," he said.

"In a normal year she would have run in the Group One Tatts Tiara as a swan song but with it not being run this year the Dane Ripper is the main fillies and mares race."

Edmonds also has promising Vanna Girl who is chasing four wins in a row in the Group Two The Roses (1800m).

"They have shortened The Roses in distance to 1800m with it being at Eagle Farm and not Doomben," he said.

"She is drawn right off the track which makes it hard from that start. But she is versatile and we will just have to see how the race pans out."

A good performance from Vanna Girl will see her head to Melbourne during the spring carnival.

Stradbroke-winning jockey Robbie Fradd will ride Winter Bride and Brad Stewart will retain the mount on Vanna Girl.

Stewart has been in top form having won last week's Group Three Rough Habit Plate on Ballistic Boy as well as the Listed Pam O'Neill on Vanna Girl.