Najmaty stakes carnival claims with debut win
Two familiar stables were to the fore in the juvenile races at the Randwick Kensington meeting as Godolphin and Team Snowden scored wins with a pair of talented youngsters.
Beautifully bred Emirates Park filly Najmaty lived up to her barrier trial form, defying a wide run to steam down the outside and claim the Charlotte Inglis Handicap (1000m) on debut.
By top stallion I Am Invincible out of Group Three winner Najoom, Najmaty justified her +125 favouritism and lived up to the expectations of co-trainer Paul Snowden, who said she had shown above-average ability from the outset but had needed time to mature.
“We’ve been a fan of her for quite a while and it was good to see her get to the races like that,” Snowden said.
“We just wanted her to have a good day and a good experience.
“I think she’ll make the grade.”
The filly holds a nomination for next month’s $1 million Percy Sykes Stakes (1200m) at Randwick and winning jockey James McDonald expects Najmaty to make her presence felt during the Sydney autumn carnival.
“She’s a lovely filly. She’s got a good action, a good mind,” McDonald said.
“She’s a very strongly-built thing and she’ll be a player over the carnival.”
Godolphin two-year-old Athelric scored his first win at start number five, outgunning his rivals in the Annabel Neasham Handicap (1000m).
Stable representative Darren Beadman said it was a deserved victory for the Exceed And Excel colt.
“It was nice to see him break through today in good fashion,” Beadman said.
“He showed nice promise early as one of our more precocious two-year-olds and he’s just taken a little while to find his feet. I think he will take a lot out of that today.”