Stephen
Marsh has successfully followed a familiar path with Santa Catarina.
The Cambridge trainer produced the Savabeel filly to win Saturday's Listed
Waikato Equine Veterinary Centre Stakes (1100m) to stretch his winning sequence
in the event to four.
Marsh was victorious in 2015 with No More Tears and subsequently prepared Ugo
Foscolo and the now Caulfield-based Ardossan to follow suit.
"It's a race we have targeted and I thought we were in with a right royal
chance again," he said.
"It's a bit of a new approach and we don't get into the babies early on and
look at these later season races, which sets them up as three-year-olds."
Raced by Lib Petagna under his JML Bloodstock banner and managed by Bruce
Perry, Santa Caterina may now head to the paddock on a winning note.
"There's a 1400m race at Pukekohe, but we might just put her aside," Marsh
said.
"It's great to get another winner for Lib and Bruce – it's our job to get these
types of fillies black type."
Santa Catarina sat off the speed and she unwound powerfully in the straight to
collar Cavallo Veloce, who had got to the front off a three wide run 300m from
the post.
"They went at a really good clip and that probably set it up for us," winning
rider Danielle Johnson said.
"I wanted to be in behind the speed and she showed great acceleration."
Santa Catarina had also won at her previous start when raw ability was enough
to overcome heavily rain-affected going at Matamata.
"At her last start on a heavy track it was her class that prevailed," Johnson
said. – NZ Racing Desk.