Dee makes winning return to NZ with Island Life in Sunline Vase
Ex-pat Kiwi rider Michael Dee gained early success on his latest race day return to his homeland when he guided favourite Island Life to victory in the Group 3 Sunline Vase (2100m) at Ellerslie.
Dee, who plies in his trade in Melbourne these days after spending his formative years in New Zealand, had been engaged to partner race favourite Willydoit in the Group 1 New Zealand Derby (2400m) later on the card and got his day off to a great start with a superb effort on the Steven Ramsay and Julia Ritchie-prepared daughter of Vadamos.
Dee took up the initiative by sitting the three-year-old filly outside pacemaker Eye Candy, which was against her normal pattern of getting back and finishing her races off strongly.
That decision proved a masterstroke in the six-horse field as Island Life was in the perfect position to issue her challenge early in the run home, where she shot to the front and held out the late challenge of This Time Girl to score her second career victory at just her seventh start.
Dee was pleased with the run and noted her toughness would hold her in good stead if she pressed ahead to a start in the Group 1 New Zealand Oaks (2400m) at Trentham on March 22.
“She’s very tough and tries hard which is what she has going for her as she is not that big,” Dee said.
“I was pleased when she ended up outside the leader as she relaxed really well and when I gave her a squeeze up I got pretty confident a long way out.
“The extra distance (of the Oaks) could be a question mark, but she is very tough and is going in the right direction so you have to have a go while she is going well.”
Ritchie cut an emotional figure as she waited for the Sir Peter Vela owned and bred filly make her way back to the winners’ enclosure.
“I grew up here and this means just so much as we have had huge pressure with this filly,” she said.
“To do this for Sir Peter on this incredible day just feels unbelievable.
“It has taken a little while to work her out as she is pretty awkward, but Michael gave her a peach of a ride and I’m just so proud of her as she ground it out and finished it off so well.
“We will see how she comes through this before we make a decision (on Trentham) as she can be a little quirky, but she relaxed today which was great.”
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