Talented filly Lazzura takes the Woodlands Stakes
Arrowfield Stud’s Japanese connection has netted another black type-winner – neatly, in their own sponsored race – after highly promising two-year-old Lazzura (Snitzel) took Saturday’s Arrowfield Woodlands Stakes (Listed, 1100m) at Scone.
The Chris Waller-trained filly, bred by John Messara’s stud and sold for $500,000 at the Gold Coast Magic Millions Yearling Sale to B2B Thoroughbreds, made it two-from-two with a thrilling victory, following a 1200–metre Kembla Grange maiden win on April 27.
She’d been one of Waller’s longest-priced winners of the season – or any season – in blowing to $31 first-up. Despite rising to Listed fillies’ class from that long-head maiden scrape, there was no such price on offer on Saturday, with punters backing her in late to $2 favouritism.
She didn’t disappoint, but she did make it tight, coming from eighth on the turn, drawing level with on-pacer Satin Stiletto (Written Tycoon), then needing all of Tommy Berry’s urgings over the final 50 metres to stick her nose out on the line.
With Bittercreek (Snitzel) also bringing Arrowfield’s super sire another juvenile stakes race on Saturday in Doomben’s Spirit Of Boom Classic (Gr 2, 1200m) at Doomben, Snitzel now has a country-leading five two-year-old black type winners for the season.
Lazzura will have brought Arrowfield particular satisfaction.
She’s the third and best runner – all sold by Arrowfield at the Gold Coast – out of Laguna Azzurra (Heart’s Cry), a mare imported through the stud’s busy links with Japan in 2018, while in-foal to Lord Kanaloa (King Kamehameha).
The resultant foal, bought by Yulong for $475,000, was named Takshaka, and after winning his first two starts at Casterton and Morphettville in 2022, was last seen running third in Kalgoorlie at start five last month.
A mating with Arrowfield’s Not A Single Doubt (Redoute’s Choice) brought Laguna Azzurra a filly bought by Annabel Neasham, TFI and Brian McGuire for $650,000 at the Magic Millions Gold Coast sale in 2022. Named Portorosa, she’s won a Sunshine Coast maiden among eight starts. She will be offered by Attunga Stud at the Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale later in the month and she is catalogued as Lot 516.
After the impressive start to racing by Lazzura, third time looks a charm for the Japanese mare.
Arrowfield now also has her yearling colt by The Autumn Sun (Redoute’s Choice), while she missed to Dundeel (High Chaparral) in 2022 and was served again by Snitzel last spring.
“It’s obviously not easy to do, going from a provincial race straight into black type company,” Waller’s foreman Charlie Duckworth said after yesterday’s race.
“But while she only won by the narrowest of margins, it’s clear to see that with racing, she’ll improve.
“She is a really promising filly for [owner] Ricky Surace.
“I remember ringing the day before she won her maiden and saying, ‘Look, whatever we get out of her tomorrow will be a bonus’ and then she won that day and now has won again.
“She will be a much better three-year-old than what she is now, but we’ll take it and it’s good to get some black type with both fillies running today [Saturday].”
Berry was also impressed and said Lazzura had overcome a check around the 600 metres.
“She is very raw at the moment and I love the way she adapted to the race,” Berry said. “I copped a prat halfway down the side and I’ve had to come back with her, but she came back to me, switched on well and she had the race won a long way out.”
Waller also took third in Saturday’s race as second-starter Let’s Go Barbie (Yes Yes Yes) earned a dash of black type with the minor placing, 2.75 lengths off the winner.