Saturday Double
On Saturday evening the team sent out their first double since the move to Sarsen Farm last November. Zephyrina won the 7.30 at Chepstow in seven furlong novice race and fifteen minutes later Chitra won for the fifth time in the 7.45 five furlong handicap at Lingfield. It takes the tally of winners at Sarsen Farm to nine from just forty four runners, an impressive strike rate of 20.5%.
Zephyrina wasn’t really suited by the drop back to seven furlongs but it looked a good opportunity on paper. She just struggled to keep tabs on her main rivals in the early part of the race but once she found her stride climbing the hill toward the finish she began to close on them and won nicely in the end under an excellent ride from Kieran Shoemark. She was led up Andy Williams and is generally ridden by Yard Manager Lauren Webb at home.
Zephyrina is owned by Pat Whitten, she was purchased by Kubler Racing at Tattersalls Ireland Yearling Sale for €13,000. She is out of Western Sky a full sister to Barathea Guest, a classic placed Group 3 winner, who has produced several winners including Djumama a Group 3 winner and also classic placed. Djumama has produced two stakes winners from two foals. Its a pedigree with some quality to it and being by Big Bad Bob she will make for an interesting broodmare as she offers outcrosses to the major stallion lines.
Looking forward she will be aimed at another novice race, most likely over a little bit further and she should continue to develop into a nice filly over the summer as she progresses with racing. Her long term aim will be to secure a future as a broodmare.
Chitra had done all her winning over six furlongs but had suggested she had the raw pace for five furlongs and having analysed options for her over the weekend and the rain in the weather forecasts it seemed that under more testing conditions five furlongs was an interesting proposition. Richard Kingscote was confident the drop back to five would suit and is now 3 from 3 aboard the filly gave her a good ride dominating her rivals after breaking well from the gates. The versatile filly has won five of her last eight starts and was second on two of the others she has won, polytrack, tapeta, good to firm and good to soft at five different courses.
Chitra is by Sea the Moon, a German Derby winner who is making an encouraging start as a sire, more typically of staying types but Chitra proves his versatility. She is out of an un-raced Shamardal mare who is a half sister to black type Prompter and Penny Drops. She was bred and is raced by Gary and Lesley Middlebrook so well done all their at Wood Farm Stud team as well. She was led up by James Pulley.