A Smokin' Win from Cuban Mistress.
Fri 20 May 2022
WINNER 45 OF 2022: CUBAN MISTRESS, trained by Rod Millman and ridden by Ross Coakley: 'The Watch Racing Online Free with Coral British EBF Fillies' Novice Stakes' (GBB Bonus) over 5f at Sandown.
She had her first start on May 1st at Salisbury and showed a lot of greeness off the bridle that day, so that experience we hoped would serve her well yesterday. This field had a few 6 figure 2yo's in it though, with a homebred Juddmonte filly as favourite to contend with.
She pinged the gates and her sheepskin noseband hit the front straight away. Ross was able to get her across from her starting stall of 6 and she pricked her ears as she flew along in front. He asked her for an extra effort at the 2-pole as she was challenged on the outer. But she kept on well inside the final furlong very gamely, to make all and win by a neck. Taking her full GBB Bonus and so a prize pot of £25,000!
"Cuban Mistress is not stopping!" Watch the full race replay here: https://www.racingtv.com/videos/watch/horse_racing_replays/390822-watch-racing-online-free-with-coral-british-ebf-fillies-novice-stakes-4
Timeform rated it as a 76 performance, saying: "Was much improved from debut, taking the tally for her first-season sire into double figures already, showing bags of speed and a good attitude; broke well, led, shaken up over 2f out, joined 1f out, kept on well, held on gamely; likely to progress again.”
Here's Ross talking to Lydia Hislop after the race, on Racing TV:
Syndicate manager Tim says: "Congratulations to her owners and to Rod - she has really shown a lot of grit there in the finish. As the Racing TV team said - she dug really deep and kept on finding - a very genuine filly. They also remarked, as did Ross in his interview, that she could earn 'black-type' this season, which I would agree with, taking a race like that. Rod and I will put our heads together and come up with a plan, but she has already given her owners a nice pay-day with the addition of the £20,000 bonus.
We can't believe our 66% 2-year-old strike rate this season, but there again, we can! We were very exacting with the juveniles and breezers we have purchased and so far, that is really paying off. 45 winners for the year is a record for us at this stage so there's plenty to be celebrating and we have a superb bunch of youngsters waiting in the wings to debut."
This week we purchased two at the final breeze-up sale - another by red hot sire Havana Grey too! You can see their share opportunities here: AVAILABLE SHARES.