Etoile Filante Avondale Cup bound

1 February 2014

WS graduate Etoile Filante returned an ideal dress rehearsal for an upcoming Group Two test when she posted the fifth win of her 11-start career at Te Rapa today. The Pins four-year-old’s victory in the Haliton Cup in her open class debut has confirmed plans to shoot for a higher prize at Ellerslie on February 15.

“This was a lead-up to the Avondale Cup and that’s always been the plan and we’ll see what happens after that,” co-trainer Peter Williams said. “I don’t think she’s a real two mile (3200m) horse at the moment – she might be later on and I don’t want to over-tax her too much.”

Etoile Filante was bred by WS with David Williams, who races the daughter of the Zabeel mare Etoile Du Nord. The Matamata stud sold her O’Reilly colt for $75,000 during last week’s Premier Sale at Karaka and two years previously a brother realised $160,000.

The Corner with Garry Chittick

Well, it was finally our turn. Mary and I shared in the joy of winning a race; we were there, of course. We could have settled in, in front of the TV – not driven the 50 minutes each way, but the emotions are entirely different.

14 September 2025

Smart Love too smart this start

Smart Love (Savabeel ex Relentless Desire) made a winning return at Te Rapa on 14 September, storming home by 3.3 lengths. Racing in Garry Chittick’s colours, the four-year-old mare impressed for Lance O’Sullivan and Andrew Scott after two solid trials.