Tonya opens account in style

The well-related Tonya opened her autumn campaign in perfect fashion at Tauranga on Saturday afternoon where she posted a breakthrough success.

The Waikato Stud-bred and raced filly was given an economical run in the trail by rider Andrew Calder and he urged the 3-year-old through a tight gap along the fence 200 metres from home and she bounded away.

Tonya is prepared by Ken and Bev Kelso and she had placed in two of her three previous appearances before going for a break and a trial placing at Rotorua earlier this month had her primed for a return.

A daughter of Ocean Park, the filly is out of the Pins mare Pins On Ice who was successful three times in Victoria and has now produced five winners.

They include the progressive Richard and Michael Freedman-trained Savabeel mare On The White Turf, who has carried the Chittick family’s colours to six victories.

Pins On Ice is a sister to the G2 Avondale Guineas and G3 Taranaki 2YO Classic winner Raid, also runner-up in the R. Listed Karaka Million, and half-sister to Listed Tattersall’s Mile winner Frozone.

The second dam is a sister to the multiple Group 1 winner Kinjite, who stood at Waikato Stud as did another family member in the G2 Ascot Vale S. winner Scaredee Cat.