Pretty Amazing salutes for Waller in Kembla Grange Classic
Tommy Berry rode Pretty Amazing to victory in Friday’s Group 3 Kembla Grange Classic (1600m) to deliver Chris Waller his second win in the race.
After the meeting was washed out at Kembla Grange, Racing NSW moved swiftly to rescue the feature race and move it to Goulburn on Friday along with the Provincial-Midway Championship Qualifier.
Waller went into the race with a three-pronged attack, and it was ultimately the race favourite who reigned supreme on the Heavy 9 conditions, defeating Hope In Your Heart and Gin Martini in the 1600m three-year-old fillies event.
“She relaxes beautifully, she moves beautifully and lets down really well,” Waller’s stable representative, Jack Pilkington, told Sky Thoroughbred Central.
“She’s just really putting it all together nicely now and building into what could be a really good autumn for her.”
A dashing run from Pretty Amazing to take out the Group 3 Kembla Grange Classic! 🔥
A peach from @TommyBerry21 for @cwallerracing. pic.twitter.com/OympcTPSiO
— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) March 11, 2022
Pretty Amazing received solid market support in the final moments before the jump, which saw her start a $2.80 favourite in the feature event after two impressive back-to-back wins at Newcastle and Canterbury over 1500m.
Pilkington described the daughter of American Pharoah as “docile”, which plays into her favour on raceday.
“She’s so relaxed about everything and at home she’s very relaxed,” he said.
“The more confident she’s gotten, she got stronger, the more relaxed she’s got with everything she’s done and that’s the way she’s putting her races together now.
“It’ll be onwards and upwards from here.”
Pretty Amazing was set to line up in the Kewney Stakes at Flemington on Saturday, but Waller’s better judgement saw her claim the $200,000 prize at Goulburn, keeping her in New South Wales before next month’s Australian Oaks.
The filly holds a nomination for the April 9 feature, which is worth $1 million at Royal Randwick.
Pretty Amazing firmed into $11 with for the 2400m event after her fashionable win this afternoon.