Wandjina Mare Wandabaa Triumphs in Newcastle Newmarket

Mark Smith - Friday March 4

For the fourth year in a row, Australian Bloodstock and Kris Lees combined to capture the Group III Horsepower Newcastle Newmarket (1400m) when Wandabaa found conditions to suit for a richly deserved maiden stakes success.

Ridden by Jason Collett, the 5yo daughter of Wandjina came from well back in the field to defeat the 5yo So You Think mare Nimalee by a neck with the 7yo Wanted gelding Through The Cracks a further three-quarter of a length back in third.

Advertisement

Runner-up to the top-class Lost And Running in the $1million The Hunter in November, and six times stakes-placed before breaking through, Wandabaa advances her record to eight wins, eight seconds, and five third from 37 starts with earnings of $828,965.

“She profiled well on this type of ground,” Lees said.

“I knew in the run she would be hard to hold out. She got the nice tempo up front and had plenty of racing room. Jason rides these styles of horses very well. He got her in clear air, and she was strong late.

“She put a string of wins together early in her career and paid the penalty, racing at higher levels and multiple stakes-placed.

“It’s really good to win a stakes race, and she is a valuable mare that comes from a good family.  

“To win stakes races on your home track is important.”

Australian Bloodstock shelled out just $36,000 to secure the Bob Hannon-bred mare from the Ascot Park draft at the 2018 Inglis Classic Yearling Sale.

A half-sister to the Group II Caulfield Sprint runner-up Malkovich (Choisir), Wandabaa is the best of five winners from six to race out of the winning Anabaa (USA) mare Mabkhara.

Wandabaa a $36,000 Inglis Classic yearling

A reliable breeder, Mabkhara had ten foals in succession. Unsurprisingly, Australian Bloodstock/Kris Lees Racing/Yes Bloodstock went to $575,000 for Mabkhara’s yearling filly by Deep Field at the Magic Millions in January.

After foaling a Capitalist filly last spring, Mabkhara was covered by Cosmic Force.

After beginning his career at Newgate Farm, Snitzel’s Group 1 VRC Australian Guineas winner Wandjina now stands at a fee of $8,800.

Advertisment

Race Result - Horsepower Newcastle Newmarket Gr3 1400m

Newcastle Track: Heavy(8) Time: 1:24.20
1
Wandabaa
- 5m Wandjina (AUS) x Mabkhara (AUS) (Anabaa (USA))
Tnr: K A Lees Rdr: J R Collett 54
2
0.3
Nimalee
- 5m So You Think (NZ) x Dezign (AUS) (Zabeel (NZ))
Tnr: Matthew Smith Rdr: B Avdulla 57
So You Think
3
1.1
Through The Cracks
- 7g Wanted (AUS) x More Than Acracker (AUS) (More Than Ready (USA))
Tnr: Angela Davies Rdr: Tom Sherry 54
4
2.7
Aramayo
- 6g Poet's Voice (GB) x Peruvian (GB) (Diktat (GB))
Tnr: C J Waller Rdr: J Bowman 56.5
5
3.6
Dajraan
- 4h Frankel (GB) x Mossfun (AUS) (Mossman (AUS))
Tnr: G Waterhouse & A Bott Rdr: Tim Clark 54
6
6.3
Chat
- 5g Deep Field (AUS) x Only Words (AUS) (End Sweep (USA))
Tnr: John Thompson Rdr: Brock Ryan 56
7
6.4
Riodini
- 5g Proisir (AUS) x Giardini (NZ) (Perfectly Ready (AUS))
Tnr: G Waterhouse & A Bott Rdr: Rachel King 57
8
7.7
Morrissy
- 6h Snitzel (AUS) x Extension Of Time (AUS) (Dash For Cash (AUS))
Tnr: L & T Corstens Rdr: K Mc Evoy 54
9
7.8
Ashman
- 6g Magnus (AUS) x Ashamika (FR) (Linamix (FR))
Tnr: Ms K Waugh Rdr: J Penza 54
10
8.3
Black Duke
- 4g Fiorente (IRE) x Empress Eleven (AUS) (War Pass (USA))
Tnr: Richard Litt Rdr: R Dolan 54
More Reading...
Xtravagant Gelding Nadal Brilliant in Meteorite
Ciaron Maher has a stranglehold on pop-up and slot races and was back in the winner's circle again after the inaugural running of the $1,000,000 The Ladbrokes Meteorite (1200m) at Cranbourne.
Wings Of Song Makes Stunning Return
A star of the carnivals in Tasmania and South Australia, Wings Of Song made a triumphant return from a 30-week break to capture Saturday’s Rosemont Stud Pendant (1400m) at Cranbourne.
Gringotts Continues Kiwi Winning Run in $1million The Gong
Kiwi bred Gringotts continued his coming-of-age campaign with a powerhouse front-running performance under 60kg to win Saturday’s Group III A$1 million The Illawarra Mercury Gong (1600m) at Kembla Grange.
Better Than Ready's Port Lockroy Triumphs in G1 Railway Stakes
Interstate visitors have a poor winning record in the $1,500,000 Group 1 Swan Draught - Railway Stakes, but Port Lockroy played his part in squaring the ledger when choosing the perfect spot to end a run of bad luck in stakes races.
Barnstorming Win by Headwall in the Warra
The super-consistent Headwall reaped a just reward in the $300,000 Group III Snap Print Solutions Wollongong The Warra (1000m) at Kembla Grange.
Yes Yes Yes Filly wins $100,000 Crystal Slipper
The $100,000 WATC Magic Millions Crystal Slipper (1100m) at Ascot on Saturday drew a competitive field of 13 and Yes Yes Yes filly Yes Queen produced a brilliant performance to score a dominant debut victory.
Sires With Winners - Saturday November 23
Here is the full list of 117 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Kiwi Bred Comeback King Globe wins Cranbourne Cup
The super-talented Globe put a troubled 14 months behind him with a powerful all-the-way win in Saturday’s A$500,000 Listed Cranbourne Cup (1600m).
Another Feature Win for La Crique
La Crique sprouted wings in the Pukekohe straight on Saturday to come from a near-hopeless position and win the Gr.2 Dunstan Horsefeeds Auckland Thoroughbred Breeders’ Stakes (1400m) in a photo finish.
Storyville Downs the Colts in G2 WA Guineas
The WA Champion Fillies Stakes heroine Storyville earned a shot at the Group 1 Northerly Stakes after she gave the colts a start and beating in Saturday’s $500,000 Group II White Claw - WA Guineas (1600m) at Ascot.