Former
champion racehorse So You Think added a fourth Group I winner to his tally when
the Darren Weir trained filly Sopressa scored a determined neck win in the Group
I SAJC Australasian Oaks at Morphettville on Saturday.
A maiden winner at Kyneton just three starts ago, Sopressa announced herself as
a serious player when scoring a resounding four length win in the Group III
SAJC Laelia Stakes two weeks ago.
Pitted against stronger opposition in the Oaks and stepped out to 2000 metres,
Sopressa rose to the challenge to claim a popular win for Harry Coffey, who suffers
from cystic fibrosis.
"It's amazing and I'm
speechless," Coffey said after the race.
"He (Weir) has probably wondered at stages if I would be able to deliver on the
day with what I've been through because I can remember him visiting me in
hospital when I was a little kid.
"My family would be so proud."
Weir was thrilled to prepare Coffey's first Group I winner.
"I guess it's a dream come true for Harry and also for myself to be able to
give Harry his first Group I winner," Weir said.
"The Coffey family has been unbelievable to me all the way through my career.
That's how I got into horses, through Harry's old man (Austy Coffey).
"I've known Harry ever since he was born, and I've followed his career and his
illness as well. It's an amazing story."
A $70,000 Inglis Great Southern Weanling purchase for Dowling Park from the
Bucklee Farm draft, Sopressa runs for a big group of owners and has three wins
and four placings from 10 starts with prizemoney in excess of $430,000.
Bred by Cathy Webb and Ken Dean, Sopressa is the fifth winner from Group II
winning Weasel Clause mare Hidden Strings, who was covered last season by Scat
Daddy's brilliant son No Nay Never (USA).
The current yearling from Hidden Strings, a colt by Warhorse made $60,000 at
the Inglis VOBIS Gold Sale last month.
Sopressa is the fourth Group I winner for So You Think, joining D'Argento,
Inference and La Bella Diosa.
The dual Cox Plate winner stands at Coolmore this spring at a fee of $44,000.