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Southern formula succeeds again with Super Fly

3 minute read

Conor and Sarah Fahy are making a habit of winning races at Ellerslie for South Island owners Debbie O’Driscoll and Pete Wilson.

SUPER FLY winning the JRA TROPHY
SUPER FLY winning the JRA TROPHY Picture: Race Images Photo

That formula paid off again for the Pukekohe trainers on Sunday with the lightly raced four-year-old Super Fly , who charged home for an impressive maiden win in the JRA Trophy (1400m).

O'Driscoll and Wilson also share in the ownership of the Fahy-trained Raise The Flag mare Let Fly, the winner of two $55,000 staying events at Ellerslie this season and third placegetter in the Gr.3 Queen Elizabeth II Cup (2400m) there on New Year's Day. Ghibellines four-year-old Ortem Legacy, meanwhile, was beaten by a short head when second in a $75,000 race at Ellerslie in February.

Sunday brought further success at the Auckland track, this time courtesy of the White Robe Lodge-bred Super Fly, who is by Ghibellines out of the winning Yamanin Vital mare Structure.

"It was a really good win today by Super Fly, who had been knocking on the door," Sarah Fahy said. "We're thrilled to get this result for Deb and Pete. They're great owners.

"They're in the ownership of Let Fly as well, along with a couple of other horses in our stable. They're from the South Island and they're big fans of that southern product. They love buying horses from White Robe Lodge. It's a real thrill to pick up another win for them."

Sunday's $25,000 race was the sixth career start for Super Fly, who had previously shown promise with a second, two thirds and a fifth. She was runner-up over 1600m at Ruakaka in December behind subsequent Gr.3 Sunline Vase (2100m) and Listed Oaks Prelude (1800m) placegetter Eye Candy, followed by a last-start third over 2100m at Pukekohe on January 19. That race was won by Alaskan, who went on to finish sixth in the Gr.1 New Zealand Oaks (2400m).

Super Fly was a stylish trial winner leading into Sunday's resuming run, and she produced a raceday performance at Ellerslie to match.

Patiently ridden by in-form jockey Kelly Myers, the four-year-old dropped back from her wide gate and had only three horses behind her coming up to the home turn.

Myers got Super Fly out into clear air down the outside of the home straight, and the talented mare soon produced a smart turn of foot. She swept past Fleetwood and sailed away in the last 50m, opening up a winning margin of two and a quarter lengths.

"She'd trialled really well and we were definitely confident that she could run a big race first-up today," Fahy said. "The only factor we were worried about was the wide barrier. Conor was keen to ride her quietly and then let her show the horse that she is down the straight.

"It was great to see her produce the turn of foot she did. Now we can make a bit of a plan for the rest of her campaign.

"She performed up to 2100m earlier in the season, but we're thinking now that she might be more of a miler. We'll get a better idea of that over her next couple of starts, but that's the impression she's giving us this time in."
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