Podium steps up at first time of asking
Podium overcame an awkward barrier to post an impressive debut victory over 1200 metres at Wanganui on Thursday afternoon.
The Ocean Park filly, who had finished runner-up in a recent trial, drew one from the outside and jumped smartly for rider Johnathan Parkes, sporting the Waikato Stud silks.
Podium settled in third sport one off the fence before challenging three wide at the top of the straight and forged clear in the run home to score by 2.8l and make the perfect start to her career for trainers Guy Lowry and Grant Cullen.
The 3-year-old is a daughter of the Elusive Quality mare Quest For Quality, who won in Australia, and previous matings to Savabeel produced the winners Sparkling Facet and Quality Prevails.
Quest For Quality boasts an international pedigree as she is out of the unraced Danehill mare Rosnaree, who is half-sister to the G1 Grosser Preis von Baden and G1 Italian Derby winner Morshdi and a three-quarter sister to the G3 Turffontein Caradoc Gold Cup winner Ilitshe.
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The Corner with Garry Chittick
Well, I got a bit behind last week, with Friday slipping by without realising it; hence no Corner. I have said on too many occasions that negative messages are of no help to anyone, and yet there seems so often a reason to be concerned. Clearly, this week the well-constructed Guerin Report on the threatened downgrade of our Group 1 races demands our attention.
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