Built in the mold of her champion mother, the three-year-old Savabeel filly Grand De Flora announced herself to the Australian public with a six-length romp over 1411m at Seymour on Thursday.
A winner on debut in her homeland, Grand De Flora made three starts in New Zealand for Roger James., The most recent of which she was luckless when unplaced in the Group III Desert Gold Stakes (1600m) on January 18 before being sent across the Tasman to Danny O’Brien.
Given the run of the race by Daniel Moor, Grand De Flora gave her eight overmatched rivals a pasting by upwards of six lengths.
The daughter of Savabeel carries the colours of the Chittick family’s Waikato Stud, which were also sported by her dam Daffodil to wins in the Group 1 AJC Australian Oaks (2400m), Group 1 CJC New Zealand 1000 Guineas (1600m) and Group 1HBRInc Windsor Park Challenge (1600m).
Daffodil’s dam Spring (O’Reilly) is a half-sister to Good Faith (Straight Strike) who was honoured as the top filly on the 1996-97 Australasian 2YO Classification following her win in the Group 1 ARC Ellerslie Sires' Produce Stakes.
Good Faith is the dam of the Group III VATC HDF McNeil Stakes winner Tully Dane (Danehill) who also placed in the Group 1 ARC Railway Handicap.
Two daughters of Good Faith have stakes-winners with The Cat’s Whiskers leaving the Listed winner Tavy (Tavistock) while Private is the dam of the dam of the Group II ATC Sweet Embrace Stakes Believe Yourself (Sebring).
A diminutive daughter of No Excuse Needed (GB), Daffodil has three winners from four to race with the best to date being her first foal Snowdrop (Pins) who was a 6-time winner and was twice runner-up in Listed races.
Daffodil has not had a live foal in three seasons since Grand De Flora. She was covered by Savabeel again last spring.
