Trish Dunell
Storytime will be given every opportunity this preparation to advance her stakes record and the Wanganui mare looks more than capable of rising to that challenge.
The daughter of Savabeel, who boasted good form in strong company last season, opened her four-year-old campaign in impressive fashion at Rotorua on Saturday.
Storytime overcame a potentially tricky barrier for a dominant victory in the New Zealand Bloodstock Pearl Series Race (1215m).
“She’s a very good galloper and she won nicely at the Foxton trials so we were very confident,” said Evan Rayner, who trains in partnership with his daughter J. J.
“We want more black type for her so we’ll be looking for that now. She’ll go on to bigger things.”
Storytime broke her maiden in her first three-year-old appearance last term and she made strong subsequent progress to third in the Gr.3 Eulogy Stakes (1600m) before she finished runner-up in the Gr.2 Eight Carat Classic (1600m), both times behind the gifted Volpe Veloce.
She was ridden at Rotorua by Rosie Myers, who had also guided her into third in the Listed Bob Sharrock Memorial Oaks Prelude (1800m) in February.
“She was the class horse of the field and I think she’s really going places,” she said.
Storytime was smartly into stride from a wide barrier to settled in second spot and she dashed clear soon after straightening to put the issue beyond any doubt.
“Mr Rayner said to go forward and she was very fast out of the gates,” Myers said. “I was able to sit outside the leader and she was just too good.”
Livin’ On A Prayer got home well for second without threatening the winner and Bring To The Block also made good ground for third. – NZ Racing Desk.