Sun Gift ready for sterner tests

Danny O’Brien will look to step Sun Gift (Savabeel ex Sunniva) up in grade following a commanding performance at Yarra Valley on Friday afternoon to further her record.

The Flemington trainer has the Waikato Stud-bred and raced four-year-old in a rich vein of form and she was untroubled over 1950 metres to make it two wins from her last three appearances.

“It was great to get another win for Waikato Stud, they have been very good supporters and hopefully we can now look to get another one in the city for the mare,” stable representative Jack Howard said.

Sun Gift was given a good run by Fred Kersley in fifth spot away from the fence before circling runners across the top and finished off well in the run home to score with ease by a length and a-quarter.

“It was a bit stop-start, which was a worry, but Fred backed the horse underneath him and she let down impressively,” Howard said.

“She can hold a spot early so she’s also got the ability to be tactically versatile.”

Sun Gift now has a brace of wins and four runner-up finishes from her 10 outings.

She is a daughter of the unraced Pour Moi mare Sunniva, who is out of a half-sister to the three-time Group 1 winner Efficient, and her son of Savabeel sold to O’Brien at this year’s New Zealand Bloodstock National Yearling Sale for $120,000.