Placed three times at stakes level, 4yo Snitzel mare Sweet Redemption broke through in Saturday's $150,000 Group III Steel Builders Festival Stakes (1500m) at Rosehill Gardens.
Trained by Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott the most likeable mare looked beaten a number of times down the straight but stubbornly refused to yield.
With the late scratching of the nominal pacemaker Religify, Brenton Avdulla had
The daughter of Snitzel kept up a relentless gallop to defeat the Ciaron Maher-trained Hazzabeel (Zabeel) by a short neck with Gerald Ryan's Red Excitement (Excites) a half-length back in third. (photo Steve Hart).
With her first stakes success, Sweet Redemption advances her record to 5 wins, 5 seconds and 3 thirds from 18 starts with earnings of $289,810.
"Everything worked out perfect," Avdulla said.
"With Religify coming out I was confident I could get complete control.
"I was confident if I could get the first half mile comfortable that she'd really sprint off the bend for me.
"They got around me halfway up the straight, they all got within half a length of me but when I got to the 100 and I could really get at her she lifted again for me.
Sweet Redemption may target the Villiers Stakes (1600m) at Randwick on December 17 on the way to the Magic Millions meeting at the Gold Coast in January.
"She just shows up every time," Bott said.
"It was a nice scratching to see looking at the maps this morning.
"It allowed her to roll along at a good tempo and Brenton was able to rate her perfectly to suit him.
"She's thriving. She does best in work and she's a happy and healthy filly at the moment."
Purchased by Round Table Racing/James Harron Bloodstock for $120,000 from the Bell View Park draft at the 2014 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling sale, Sweet Redemption is the third foal of the unraced Red Ransom (USA) mare Redeeming Lass a daughter of Gai Waterhouse's former top-class mare Danglissa (Danzero) whose 6 wins included the Group I Flight Stakes.
Redeeming Lass has
Sweet Redemption becomes the 46th stakes winner for Snitzel (photo Mark Smith) who looks assured of playing a major role at the yearling sales in 2017.
The son of Redoute's Choice has 52 heading to the Gold Coast and 10 at the Sydney Classic.
