Dragon Beauty
Race Images Palmerston North
Versatile performer Dragon Beauty showed just what a force she can be with conditions to suit as she powered home to record her first victory in a new winter campaign on the weekend.
It was the seventh career success for the Keeninsky mare with six of those wins coming on her home turf at Awapuni. Plenty of rain in the lead-up to Saturday's meeting saw the track come up as a testing Heavy11 surface which was just what the Gary Vile prepared mare was looking for.
"She's a very handy galloper when she can strike a track that suits her so when we got the rain that loosened things up I did think she would be hard to beat," admitted Vile.
"Mind you I also had a couple of runners later in the day that I thought would be right at home on it and they never fired a shot."
"Chris (Johnson) did a nice job on her as he had her relaxed and lobbing along throughout the early running and brought her into contention at just the right time.
"She doesn't mind a fight and was in the right part of the track so it was a nice win in the end."
Vile will take a patient approach with the mare as he looks towards some of the better winter staying events over the next few months.
"We haven't really got a plan for her just yet but a race like the Cornwall Handicap at Ellerslie is one we might have a go at," he said.
"Once she strikes form she is a pretty consistent type so I think she will be competitive in most events she lines up in."
Vile is pleased with his stable stocks for the winter months which will be headed by consistent sprinter Miss Appleton who has won four and been placed on 12 occasions in her career to date. – NZ Racing Desk
It was the seventh career success for the Keeninsky mare with six of those wins coming on her home turf at Awapuni. Plenty of rain in the lead-up to Saturday's meeting saw the track come up as a testing Heavy11 surface which was just what the Gary Vile prepared mare was looking for.
"She's a very handy galloper when she can strike a track that suits her so when we got the rain that loosened things up I did think she would be hard to beat," admitted Vile.
"Mind you I also had a couple of runners later in the day that I thought would be right at home on it and they never fired a shot."
"Chris (Johnson) did a nice job on her as he had her relaxed and lobbing along throughout the early running and brought her into contention at just the right time.
"She doesn't mind a fight and was in the right part of the track so it was a nice win in the end."
Vile will take a patient approach with the mare as he looks towards some of the better winter staying events over the next few months.
"We haven't really got a plan for her just yet but a race like the Cornwall Handicap at Ellerslie is one we might have a go at," he said.
"Once she strikes form she is a pretty consistent type so I think she will be competitive in most events she lines up in."
Vile is pleased with his stable stocks for the winter months which will be headed by consistent sprinter Miss Appleton who has won four and been placed on 12 occasions in her career to date. – NZ Racing Desk