Spine Tingle lands Oaks Prelude

The Chris Gibbs-trained Spine Tingle (3 f ex Myback by Dubawi) put herself bang in the picture for the New Zealand Oaks (Gr 1, 2400m) as she produced a breath-taking performance in the Oaks Prelude (Listed, 1800m) at New Plymouth on Saturday and in so doing became the fifth stakes winner for her Hallmark Stud-based sire Super Easy (Darci Brahma). 

Last sighted breaking her maiden at her second attempt over 1400 metres on January 7, the filly showed her rivals a clean pair of heels, eventually beating Providenceprovides (Real Impact) by four lengths. Ezdara (Sacred Falls) came home another length and quarter away in third. 

“I didn’t really expect that, but she was very impressive today,” Gibbs said.

“We made a plan to hug the rail the whole way and hoped the leaders would roll off and sure enough they did.

“She races so well just off the bridle, which I just love about her.

“When Lisa (Allpress) asked her, she sprinted so quickly that I was stunned.

“When we first got her she looked like she would make a two-year-old and not much after that, but she changed completely and turned into a long, scopey individual, who had stayer written all over her.

“We haven’t done that much with her, so after she won her maiden at home, we decided this race would be our main target.

“I just didn’t know how she would measure up, but she travelled down perfectly, ate and drank everything last night and gave me confidence she would go a good race.”

Gibbs said he had not mapped out a path to the Oaks yet and would wait for the dust to settle before doing so. 

“Today was really where we had put our efforts into, so I’m not sure what to do next,” he said.

“It’s a long trip back home so she can have an easy time of it while I work out how we get to the Oaks.

“The good thing is she has qualified now so I don’t have to worry about that and can pick and choose where we start.” 

Bred and raced by the Hawkins family under their Llanhennock Trust banner, the filly is out of the winning Dubawi (Dubai Millennium) mare Myback, who has produced a further two winners. 

Myback herself is half-sister to Listed winner Cauthen (Darci Brahma), while further afield this is the same family as Group 2 winner Grey Song (Unbridled’s Song) and Group 3 winner Tonz More Fun (More Than Ready). 

Spine Tingle joins Group 3-winning trio Prom Queen, Sheezallmine, Easy Eddie and Super Strike as the stallion’s other stakes winners and he stood at Hallmark Stud for a fee of NZ$7,500 (plus GST) in 2020.