The 3yo filly Listed feature race saw an impressive win by Windborne and she passed two important criteria in the process. Windborne won left-handed so all going well will be on the G1 1000 Guineas (1600m) path that is held here at Riccarton in the second week of November. Obviously she also passed the track test by winning at Riccarton but more telling was she won the 1200m event in 1:10.82, which was equal the time clocked in the prior event by Soubrettes in an Open Handicap. Soubrettes is the best horse in the South Island and scarily still has it all ahead of her in the Group sprinting ranks. Windborne trailed the pace and drove through and went clear the inside to score with aplomb and record her third win in five starts, with two of those now being Listed successes. The full sister Darci’s Dream ran second in the G1 1000 Guineas last year to Platinum Witness and notably won the same Listed event on the way as Windborne. The runner up Dezzies Dream soon led as usual and fought on but was beaten by a superior filly. Princess Davone ran on well after being hampered early and the stablemate of the winner looks readymade to get a mile later this spring. The full sister to Maeve Davone (1 win) has developed earlier for sure and has that closing turn of foot to use as a weapon plus rain-affected footing is always a plus for this breed. The luckless filly today was the maiden Aspen Lass that but for a running inwards Dezzies Dream would have got third and a valuable Listed placing. The protest of fourth versus second failed because the margin between them was half a length and to say she would have beaten home that runner was a stretch. However the margin between Aspen Lass and the third finisher Princess Davone was just a head. It is one of those areas that leave many disappointed as the rider having to react late in the race atop Aspen Lass clearly cost it third money and a Listed placing. Aspen Lass would be a moral in a normal maiden as they will not run any quicker than she just has done in coming from the back. Manamanup whacked away for fifth and the maiden will go close when in her rightful grade again. Special Memories was disappointing the run home so at her next outing will need to show something more as she is better than currently showing. Maybe the resumption on a bog has flattened the filly as deep testing footing can dull a campaign from the outset. Lindis Pass was ridden too handy full stop and will be restrained and ridden quieter next time for sure as then she finds the line. Salu was very poor in finishing a distant last but with the time and her having been wide throughout maybe she can be forgiven. Windborne was too dominant in fast time comparison to not think that she has bigger blacktype to come this spring and her next outing should be at 1400m if the same pathway is taken as full sister Darci’s Dream last season. Dezzies Dream with her natural pace will always be competitive against her own age group and no matter the footing but getting the mile is the key question yet to be asked, as it is of almost all the fillies aimed at the G1 Guineas at this stage. Princess Davone will keep paying her way in the South Island and Aspen Lass looks the maiden name to follow. Give one more chance to Special Memories seeing the way the race was run and won. She too is part of Team Te Akau that have Windborne, Princess Davone and herself as the G1 1000 Guineas squadron at the moment.