Second Group One Winner for Per Incanto

Media Release - Tuesday January 1

Outsider Santa Monica belied her $77 winning-odds to take out the Group ISistema Railway (1200m) at Ellerslie on New Year's Day.

Santa Monica - Trish DunnellIn a gutsy performance, the Per Incanto five-year-old was able to nab Princess Kereru on the line to win by a neck, with a further head back to the luckless race favourite Melody Belle, who was posted out three-wide throughout the 1200m feature.

The five-year-old has been in solid form of late for Te Awamtu trainer Stephen Ralph, finishing runner-up in the Listed Counties Bowl (1100m) and Listed Hallmark Stud Handicap (1200m) last-start, and Ralph said he expected another good showing from his mare.

"She has been knocking on the door and we knew we could win this," he said. "The only horse we feared was Melody Belle.

"It was great work by Trudy (Thornton, jockey), she has stuck with us the whole way through, she knows the horse and just summed it up perfectly."

Ralph said he received a confidence boost with his mare after her unplaced performance in the Gr.3 Sweynesse Stakes (1215m) in October, which set her on a path for Group One glory.

Per Incanto"We posted the best last 600m in the sprint down in Rotorua (Sweynesse Stakes) against some of the best sprinters around at the time, so we knew we had the horse," he said.

Ralph reflected on the long journey it has taken to attain his first win at elite-level and he was quick to mention the loyalty of his owners Stuart and Cherie Hope.

"It's our first Group One winner," he said.

"We formed a partnership all the way through. It's about 13 years in the making with Stuart and Cherie with this horse, so big ups to them."

Winning jockey Trudy Thornton was just as jubilant for Santa Monica's connections and said her mount appreciated the firmer ground on Tuesday.

"She is such a tough little competitor," she said.

"It all panned out alright, the speed was on which suited her. She got into air when she needed to and tried her heart out, as she does.

"Last-start she went a really good race, but the track was a bit off and she likes it really firm and she got that today. She is just so much happier on good ground."

Ralph capped off a great day by taking out the last race on the card at Ellerslie, the Barfoot & Thompson 1600, with Marissa.

Santa Monica is the second Group I winner for Little Avondale Stud's Per Incanto joining Dal Cielo– NZ Racing Desk

Advertisment
More Reading...
Kiwi Bred Grey Wins Subzero for OTI at Flemington
New Zealand-bred gelding Cloudland proved a handful for James McDonald at Flemington on Tuesday, but the champion jockey was in a forgiving mood after they had claimed top honours in the Subzero Handicap.
15th Stakes-Winner for Per Incanto
National Jockey’s Premiership leader Kozzi Asano continued a white-hot run of form when he guided Lightning Jack to an upset victory in Saturday’s Listed Liquorland Gore Guineas (1335m).
Rosemont and Partners Stakes Quinella on Cup Day
Written Tycoon posted his second new stakes-winner on Melbourne Cup Day when promising three year-old gelding Catoggio took out the Listed VRC Amanda Elliot Stakes (1400m)  for Rosemont Stud and partners, who also race the second horse Bosustow.
Kiwi Bred Gringotts Wins $3million Big Dance
Talented New Zealand-bred gelding Gringotts(NZ) (Per Incanto) delivered a big payday for his connections with victory in Tuesday’s A$3 million Big Dance (1600m) at Randwick.
Knights Choice a True Underdog Story
Punters were left stunned when the Queenslander Knight's Choice and Japanese visitor Warp Speed (JPN) emerged from the pack to fight out a dramatic finish to the $8,560,000 Group 1 Lexus Melbourne Cup (3200m) at Flemington.
Cup Day Stakes-Winner for So You Think
The Listed VRC TAB Trophy (1800m) for three year-olds on Cup Day at Flemington drew a competitive field of up and comers with So You Think gelding Opening Address stamping himself as a bright prospect for the future with a stylish victory.
All Too Hard's Arran Bay Brave in the Furphy Plate
Phillip Stokes admitted his preference was to run Arran Bay in the Listed John Letts Cup at Morphettville but was overruled by the owners, who made the correct decision in favouring the Listed Furphy Plate (1800m) at Flemington.
Little Avondale and Per Incanto Step Up to the Big Time
Karaka 2020 looms as a bumper week for Wairarapa’s Little Avondale Stud and their high-flying stallion Per Incanto.
Tycoon Star Makes Winning Debut in G3 Maribyrnong Plate
Tycoon Star looked like the consummate professional when making a winning career debut in the Group III Darley Maribyrnong Plate (1000m) to kickstart Melbourne Cup Day at Flemington.
2024 Melbourne Cup Result - It's Knights Choice
The 2024 Melbourne Cup has been run and won with Knight’s Choice, a five-year-old gelding by Extreme Choice victorious.