She’s Ideal scores an overdue stakes success and head to The Metropolitan
Classy mare She's Ideel has broken through for an elusive black-type success with a comfortable victory in the Kingston Town Stakes (Gr 3, 2000m), becoming stakes winner number 15 for Arrowfield Stud's Dundeel (High Chaparral).
Despite a brace of placings at Group One level, She's Ideel hadn't managed to win a stakes race, but, the $2.80 favourite rectified that anomaly at Randwick on Saturday, taking out the Kingston Town Stakes by one and a quarter lengths over Montefilia (Kermadec), who was doing her best work late, with leader Entente (Dundeel) holding third another long neck away.
Trainer Bjorn Baker was relieved to see She's Ideel claim a valuable stakes victory and said Jason Collett rode a smart race, positioning the backmarker much closer to the speed off a moderate tempo.
"I guess today, if you followed her along you were starting to lose a bit of face, so she had to put her hand up today and she did," Baker said.
"A great ride from Jason. He summed it up and it was a pretty easy watch throughout."
She's Ideel will press on to next month's Metropolitan (Gr 1, 2400m) and also holds nominations for the Caulfield (Gr 1, 2400m) and Melbourne Cups (Gr 1, 3200m).
"She will go to the Metropolitan. Hopefully (stablemate and seventh placed) Fun Fact will go there too," Baker said.
"She probably goes there and then down to Melbourne."
Collett said She's Ideel showed a good turn of foot to put the race in the bag halfway up the straight and he was supremely confident throughout.
"I never felt she was going to be beaten when she landed in that position," Collett said.
"Off a pretty moderate tempo, yeah it was easy."
The normally consistent Spirit Ridge was well in the market but turned in an uncharacteristic effort to beat just one rival home in a performance jockey Josh Parr described as "unusually disappointing".
Bred by Attunga Stud and the Estate of the late G Coull, She’s Ideel has raced 23 times for six wins and 11 placings including twice at Group One level. She is a half-sister to Group One placed Elusive Treasure (Northern Meteor) being out of winning Anabaa (Danzig) mare Ana’s Mail.
Ana’s Mail, who was bought by Harry McAlpine Bloodstock for $130,000 at the 2018 Magic Millions National Sale, was covered by Spirit Of Boom (Sequalo) last October while her filly by that same sire was sold to Gollan Racing and John Foote Bloodstock for $220,000 at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale earlier this year.
