Starvoia
Race Images South
A spur of the moment decision when collecting a horse bought at auction paid dividends for trainer Karen Parsons when flying filly Starvoia started her career in the best possible fashion at Riccarton on the weekend.
Parsons recounted the story the day after the Starcraft filly rewarded her large group of owners with a debut victory when she took out the Echoes Of Heaven at Linwood Park sponsored 1200 metre dash on Saturday.
"We had bought an Anacheeva colt through Bloodstock Auctions and I was collecting him from Kathryn Picton-Warlow's place when she asked me if I would like to take a look at a filly she had there," she recalled.
"She had been entered for the sales at Karaka but had cut her fetlock and had to be withdrawn. She was a lovely filly so I decided to take her home and try her although I wasn't sure how John would react as he hates it when I do things like that."
Parsons needn't have worried as husband John liked the cut of the filly when he saw her and they set about the task of finding a group to race her after agreeing to lease her from Picton-Warlow.
"She has a great group of owners now with some of them racing their first horse," she said.
"It did mean there was plenty of pressure on the weekend as she had done well at the trials so expectations were high."
Despite the pressure Parsons was confident although she admitted the rain that set in prior to raceday had her concerned about the footing the filly would strike.
"She really needs it much better than that so I was thinking about scratching," she admitted.
"We took the punt that it was one of the first races and the ground would be at its best. In the end she did what we hoped and was aided by a brilliant Chris Johnson ride. He cuddled her up and held her together all the way and that was the winning of the race."
The well related filly is the granddaughter of Gr. 1 South Australian Oaks winner Dowry and includes Group One performers Our Sophia and Carnegie Express in her extended pedigree.
Starvoia will tackle the Listed New Zealand Bloodstock Canterbury Belle Stakes (1200m) back at Riccarton on the 17th of September before Parsons decides on any future assignments beyond that.– NZ Racing Desk
Parsons recounted the story the day after the Starcraft filly rewarded her large group of owners with a debut victory when she took out the Echoes Of Heaven at Linwood Park sponsored 1200 metre dash on Saturday.
"We had bought an Anacheeva colt through Bloodstock Auctions and I was collecting him from Kathryn Picton-Warlow's place when she asked me if I would like to take a look at a filly she had there," she recalled.
"She had been entered for the sales at Karaka but had cut her fetlock and had to be withdrawn. She was a lovely filly so I decided to take her home and try her although I wasn't sure how John would react as he hates it when I do things like that."
Parsons needn't have worried as husband John liked the cut of the filly when he saw her and they set about the task of finding a group to race her after agreeing to lease her from Picton-Warlow.
"She has a great group of owners now with some of them racing their first horse," she said.
"It did mean there was plenty of pressure on the weekend as she had done well at the trials so expectations were high."
Despite the pressure Parsons was confident although she admitted the rain that set in prior to raceday had her concerned about the footing the filly would strike.
"She really needs it much better than that so I was thinking about scratching," she admitted.
"We took the punt that it was one of the first races and the ground would be at its best. In the end she did what we hoped and was aided by a brilliant Chris Johnson ride. He cuddled her up and held her together all the way and that was the winning of the race."
The well related filly is the granddaughter of Gr. 1 South Australian Oaks winner Dowry and includes Group One performers Our Sophia and Carnegie Express in her extended pedigree.
Starvoia will tackle the Listed New Zealand Bloodstock Canterbury Belle Stakes (1200m) back at Riccarton on the 17th of September before Parsons decides on any future assignments beyond that.– NZ Racing Desk