Ken Casellas | Photo: PACEPIX
Reinette is a small and unassuming filly who bears no resemblance to her famous relation of yesteryear, the tall, leggy and haughty Daintys Daughter, a world champion more than 50 years ago.
She is a direct descendant of Dainty Widow, the dam of Daintys Daughter, who set a world record for two miles when she won the WA Pacing Cup on January 1, 1970, rating 2.4.5 in the standing-start event.
A year earlier, Daintys Daughter won the Meteor Mile at Gloucester Park when her time of 1.58.8 set a world record for a mare on a half-mile track.
Reinette certainly has inherited a good share of Daintys Daughter’s ability, her speed and keen competitive nature.
All this was on show at Gloucester Park on Friday night when Reinette, a daughter of former star pacer Vincent and the second foal out of Aqueensomewhere, was driven by Trent Wheeler to a thrilling victory in the Group 1 $215,000 Allwood Stud Westbred Classic for two-year-old fillies.
Reinette, a $9.20 chance, began from the inside of the back line in the 2130m classic, with Wheeler revealing great patience, content to race three back on the pegs in fifth position while $26 chance Winter Wonder was setting a solid pace from the tough filly Iseeubaby ($5.50) in the breeze, Ruby Lovera ($3.90) trailing the pacemaker and Bull Shark Betty ($9) enjoying a perfect trip in the one-out, one-back position.
Wheeler bided his time until he was able to ease Reinette into the clear 450m from home, and he quickly switched her three wide to follow a fast charge from the $3.30 favourite Copper Head Lady, who hit the front about 140m from the post.
Reinette sustained her strong effort and she and Copper Head Lady were locked together down the home straight until Reinette got her nose in front in the final stages to score by a half-head, rating 1.56.8.
Reinette, who won the Group 2 Champagne Classic in May this year, gave the 39-year-old Wheeler his fourth Group 1 success, following the wins of Once Bitten in the Westbred Classic for three-year-old fillies in July 2015, Pinny Tiger in the Four-Year-Old Classic in December 2022, and Simply Shaz in the Mares Classic last November.
For Coolup trainer Frank Nafranec (69) it was his first Group 1 victory, and he races the filly in partnership with his wife Alison, their sons Adam and Rick, Travis O’Neill, Matt Feighan, Graham Ventris, David Hickmott and Sean Farrell. Reinette, purchased for $15,000 at the 2023 APG Perth yearling sale, has now earned $160,676 from five wins and two placings from ten starts.
Aqueensomewhere, who earned $44,768 from six wins and 12 placings from 31 starts, is out of Queen Delilah, who was retired after 67 starts for ten wins, 25 placings and $66,421. Queen Delilah was a smart two-year-old when her ten starts resulted in three wins and five placings, including her third behind Typhoon Whitby in the State Sires Series (now known as the Westbred Classic) in August 1999.