Often her own worst enemy, Azkadellia gave supporters that backed her into even money favourite a fright before earning her first stakes success in Saturday's Group III Premier Signs Mannerism Stakes (1400) at Caulfield.
After a wide
Winning trainer Ciaron Maher has lofty ambitions for the 4yo mare.
"I think she is still on the way up and she'll derive a lot of benefit from the run," Maher said.
"Her whole prep has been based
Sent to Australia after winning a maiden on a heavy track at Avondale at her career debut, Azkadellia has been a model of consistency this season.
She has not been off the board in seven starts and her worst finish was third to Politeness and Fenway in the Group 1 Myer Stakes last October.
Her overall record stands at 5 wins, 4 seconds and 1 third from 11 starts for earnings of $264,208.
That's not a bad record for a mare whose dam was given away after Azkadellia and has not been heard of since.
She is the fourth named foal of the winning Centaine mare Raving whose dam Raging (Wild Rampage) was a 4-time winner and finished third in the Group II Sir Tristram Fillies Classic.
But that is the only sign of black-type for four generations.
So we will give plenty of credit to Azkadellia's sire Shinko King (IRE) who was largely overlooked in his career that came to a close when he succumbed to laminitis at the age of 21.
One of 32 named foals from her sire's penultimate crop, Azkadellia will be looking to join Eskimo Queen (Queensland Oaks and Coolmore Classic), Thumbs Up (Hong Kong Classic Mile), C'Est La Guerre (New Zealand Derby), Bramble Rose (New Zealand Oaks) and Barinka (NZ Thoroughbred Breeders' Stakes) on the Shinko King Group 1 honour roll.
A Group 1 winner in Japan, Shinko King was a half-brother to the English Derby, Irish Champion Stakes and Dewhurst Stakes winner Dr Devious and the Group III Greenlands Stakes winner Archway, by Encosta de Lago's sire Fairy King.