Azkadellia crowned Queen of the Turf
Ciaron Maher and Damien Oliver had to wait no more than an hour to make up for missing out on a Group One at Randwick.
The trainer-jockey combination missed out on a win at the top level when Jameka was a beaten favourite in the ATC Australian Oaks.
But Azkadellia refused to suffer the same fate in the Queen of The Turf Stakes, sprinting away on the rail to record a convincing two-length win from Heavens Above on Saturday.
On a one-week back up from placing behind Winx in the Doncaster Mile, Maher said Azkadellia had thrived.
A multiple placegetter at Group One level, the mare grabbed her maiden elite win.
“She’s always shown that ability but because of her racing style she does run into a bit of traffic and gets a bit unlucky but she got the favours today,” Maher said.
Oliver said the absence of the champion mare Winx was a welcome sight.
“When she straightened up I think she was pretty happy not to see Winx in front of her,” Oliver said.
“She is a little ripper this one. You never get sick of riding these ones.”
Maher believes Azkadellia might be the horse to give him back-to-back Stradbroke Handicaps during the Queensland winter carnival.
“I was always thinking the Stradbroke Handicap with her but it will be interesting to see what weight she gets now,” Maher said.
“We’ll freshen her and make a plan on the back of that.”
The Queen of the Turf result means Maher’s string doesn’t go without a Group One win during Sydney’s autumn carnival.
“I thought we had a good team when we came up here,” he said.
“They’ve been knocking around the mark but it’s just great to get one over the line.”