The $2,700,000 shelled out by Darley for crack racemare Divine Madonna at the 2008 Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale is beginning to reap dividends with her daughter Maternal leading home a 1-2 for Godolphin in Saturday's $100,000 Listed Sky Gai Waterhouse Classic (1350m) at Ipswich.
Ridden by Jeff Lloyd Maternal defeated her game stablemate Kinshachi (Commands) by a long head on Saturday with Banda Spice (Show a Heart) running on strongly for third.
A daughter of Street Cry (IRE), Maternal has won in Victoria, New South Wales and Queensland in a career that has yielded 6 wins, 2 seconds and 3 thirds from 17 starts with earnings of $235,885.
Stand in trainer Darren Beadman said he was delighted to renew his friendship with Lloyd as they both rode for John Moore in Hong Kong.
"Jeff rode the light weights and I had the heavier horses. We have been mates for years," Beadman told AAP.
"I rode for Gai for years and to win a race in her honour was a great thrill.
"The plan was to let her roll forward as that is the way she races best. She won on the pace two runs back and then last start couldn't get into the race."
A decision will be made early next week if Godolphin will press on to the Group One Tatts Tiara next Saturday with the two mares.
Maternal becomes the first stakes winner for 4-time Group I winner Divine Madonna (Hurricane Sky) (pictured ) who has a 2yo Exceed And Excel filly named Deity and a yearling filly by the same stallion.
After missing to Sepoy in 2015, Divine Madonna was covered by Medaglia d'Oro (USA) last spring.
Maternal becomes the 111th stakes winner for Street Cry (IRE) whose last crop son Gaulois scored a well-deserved maiden win over 1350 metres at Rosehill Gardens earlier in the day.
