O’Reilly Filly A Star In The Making

Pussy Willow looks another potential headline act for WS stallion O’Reilly following her brilliant victory at Trentham on Saturday. The two-year-old displayed a stunning turn of foot to claim the Gr 2 Wakefield Challenge Stakes and maintain her perfect record.

A winner on debut at Ruakaka earlier this month, she came from well off the pace with a cracking final 200 metres on Saturday to win with ease. “She’s still very raw and green,” trainer Stephen McKee said, “She got a bit lost, but she’s absolute top class.”

Out of the multiple winner and Gr 1 performer Octapussy, Pussy Willow is a sister to the promising Pussy O’Reilly who is also raced by her breeders Sir Patrick and Lady Justine Hogan and Peter Walker. Pussy O’Reilly has also been a winner for Cambridge trainer Don Sellwood and in the spring finished fourth in the Gr 3 Gold Trail Stakes.

O’Reilly completed a notable juvenile double when his son Shamexpress was successful at the first time of asking at Flemington. The Danny O’Brien-trained colt is out of the Volksraad mare Volkrose and was bred and sold, for $130,000 at Karaka, by Beltana Stud’s Richard Rutherford who has been a staunch supporter of O’Reilly.