Top Gr 1 finish for WS

WS familiar silks were beaten into second place in today’s Gr 1 Thorndon Mile but there was a big slice of compensation for the Matamata farm. The Garry Chittick-bred and owned Costume (Savabeel) finished runner-up behind upset winner Touch Of Ruby, a daughter of the stud’s resident Pins.

“This is her final race and she’s in foal to Jimmy Choux and we thought if she ran in the first four it would make her worth a lot more money,” successful trainer Stephen Autridge said. “It’s what everyone dreams of and it doesn’t often happen so it’s fantastic.”

A Touch Of Ruby came from well back in the field for her fourth career victory and deny Costume victory. “I didn’t intend to be that far back and she travelled into it really well,” winning rider Craig Grylls said. “They ran it hard up front and that set it up for something to come from the back.”

Costume is a half-sister to the Listed Soliloquy Stakes winner Masquerade (No Excuse Needed) with their dam the O’Reilly mare Disguised. WS will offer a Pins filly (Lot 446) out of Disguised during the Premier Sale at Karaka next week.