Ken Casellas | Photo: PACEPIX
Serpentine trainer-reinsman Dylan Egerton-Green was planning a soft trip for Nase Vira in the 2130m The West Australian Pace for two-year-old fillies at Gloucester Park on Friday night. But when she was left racing without cover, he wasn’t particularly concerned.
“I didn’t want to be in the breeze, but I wasn’t worried when we were there,” he said. “I wanted to sit her up and show how quickly she can finish off. But things didn’t eventuate that way.
“She had won from the breeze before (beating Copy Cat Queen at Narrogin) and she had run fourth from the breeze in good company.”
Copy Cat Queen, the $1.80 favourite, began well from barrier four and she took up the running from the polemarker Philthejug after 120m, leaving Nase Vira in the breeze.
Nase Vira, the $2.90 second fancy, dashed to the front with 250m to travel and raced away to win by two lengths from $14 chance Manea, who finished solidly after enjoying an ideal passage, one-out and one-back.
Nase Vira is by Alta Christiano and is the second foal out of New Zealand-bred mare Sovereign Faith, who raced 75 times for 15 wins, 24 placings and stakes of $132,719, including four wins in WA in 2015-16. Sovereign Faith’s first foal is Champagne Everyone, who has had 25 starts for five wins, seven placings and $52,261.
Nase Vira has earned $40,107 from her three wins from eight starts. “She and Grand Couteau will now go for a spell before coming back as three-year-olds next year,” said Egerton-Green.