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Kenny Rae is covering a Group One base with Inanna, who showed she could be a future black type contender with a breakthrough performance on her home track.
The Ruakaka horseman, who trains with his wife Lisa and their daughter Krystal Williams, produced the daughter of Jimmy Choux to upset a competitive line-up in Saturday’s Happy Retirement Keith Detman (1400m).
The stable also struck gold later in the programme with Kaharau, who nosed out Greencast to win the Celebrating 40 Years Patrons Cup.The Gr.3 Christchurch Casino New Zealand Cup (3200m) at Riccarton is a likely spring target for Kaharau, while Inanna is nominated for the Gr.1 gavelhouse.com New Zealand 1000 Guineas.
“I’ve got her in just in case Prom Queen doesn’t look like she’ll get the mile,” Rae said.The stable star Prom Queen has been a multiple stakes winner, but she has yet to race beyond 1200m while Inanna’s Ruakaka performance provided a strong argument that she won’t be at all troubled by more ground.
She sat outside the leader to the turn and when Sam Spratt asked her for an effort on straightening she rounded off strongly to open her winning account at her sixth appearance.“She’s a lovely filly and she’s finally grown up,” Rae said. “I told Sam to ride her right on the pace.”
Raced by Rae and long-time stable supporter Lars Pearson, who bred the filly, Inanna had enough in reserve to hold off the late run of the favourite and Gr.1 Al Basti Equiworld New Zealand 2000 Guineas (1600m) prospect Ohceedee.Debutante Danzdanzdance settled well back in the field and the Mastercraftsman three-year-old turned in an eye-catching finish for third.
“We’ve got a huge opinion of her, but she’s not quite there mentally yet,” said Chris Gibbs, who trains in partnership with Donna Logan. “We’ll probably put her aside now. She’ll be better in the autumn.”