Eccles enhances Oaks claims with impressive Lowlands success
Since finishing a strong and unlucky long-neck second in the New Zealand One Thousand Guineas (Gr 1, 1600m) at Riccarton in November, Jennifer Eccles (Rip Van Winkle) has notched three Group 2 wins in four subsequent starts and she looks to have a stranglehold on next month’s New Zealand Oaks (Gr 1, 2400m).
Like her classy Fillies Classic (Gr 2, 2000m) victory at Te Rapa earlier this month, Jennifer Eccles had her opponents in trouble in yesterday’s Lowlands Stakes (Gr 2, 2100m) soon after starting the run for home at Hastings.
Ridden by Jason Waddell, Jennifer Eccles sat one out in sixth down the back straight and started her run from the 600-metre marker.
Into the home straight she gobbled up the leader, sped clear by three lengths at the 200 metres and cruised along. Indeed, Waddell had the opportunity to look over his shoulder three times while she raced further clear.
At the line, Jennifer Eccles drew away from Loire (Redoute’s Choice) by four lengths, while Showbeel (Savabeel) finished a further length and a half adrift in third.
“She’s aggressive, she’s a racehorse. She’s so competitive, is probably the words I’m looking for,” Waddell said in the post-race debrief.
“The race was slowly-run, but I couldn’t hold her any longer coming to the 600 metres. We thought she had a short turn of foot, but I don’t know that I’ve ridden too many fillies that can quicken like she did.
“She’s an incredible filly, I didn’t touch her and it was a pretty soft win. I can’t wait for the Oaks.”
Trainer Shaune Ritchie agreed. He said: “She was dominant today. I was worried leading up to the mile and a half of the Oaks. You’ve always got that little concern, but she continues to hold her condition and is certainly not getting any slower.”
Purchased as a weanling from New Zealand Bloodstock’s 2017 May Weanling Sale for NZ$5,000, being knocked down to Adrian Clark Bloodstock from the draft of Westend Partnership, Jennifer Eccles (3 f Rip Van Winkle – Platinum Elle by Elnadim) is the fourth foal to race, and the second winner, out of Platinum Elle (Elnadim).
She has now won three of her 10 starts, placing on a further six occasions, for prize-money of NZ$268,400.
Platinum Elle won four times, including at Ellerslie and Riccarton, where she was also stakes-placed in the Canterbury Breeders’ Stakes (Listed, 1400m).
Her Group 3-placed grand-dam, Lady Tee (Zabeel), is a daughter of dual New Zealand Thoroughbred Breeders’ Stakes (Gr 2, 1600m) winner Waikiki (Crested Wave), who herself is a half sister to the grand-dam of Hong Kong Horse of the Year Sacred Kingdom (Encosta De Lago).