Riccarton trainer Andrew Carston made the bold decision to bypass the Karaka Million 2YO (1200m) last week with Miss Federer in favour of the Gr.3 Woburn Farm 2YO Classic (1200m) at New Plymouth on Saturday and his charge duly delivered for her connections.
Miss Federer was pushed forward by jockey Lisa Allpress and was caught in a speed duel early with Amazing Team and Folk Dress, which resulted in the Swiss Ace filly being posted three-wide the trip.
She was able to account for the two early aggressors in the straight and had to draw on all her reserves to holdout fast-finishing race favourite Hasstobegood to win by a long neck, with 3-1/2 lengths back to Last Light.
“It’s unbelievable, that was just unreal,” Carston said. “She is very tough, it was a very hard run.
“She has always been a filly who has never really showed us anything at home, but raceday is a different story.
“Forget that she went around at Ellerslie last-start (where she finished last). It’s hard to say now, but I’m glad I made the decision not to run her in the Karaka Million.
“I just felt everything went pear-shaped at Ellerslie and we just needed to regroup and come back a class and we got the result.”
Jockey Lisa Allpress was critical of her ride in the race, but was relieved to get the win aboard the southern raider.
“It was probably the worst ride of my entire life,” Allpress said. “The plan was to let her roll forward, she is pretty one dimensional.
“But the horse outside her (Scotch) didn’t really let up, it kept coming with me and I really had to stay positive to hold that horse out.
“In the meantime, two kicked up on the inside, so we were just a victim of circumstances. To her credit, she is so tough. She just kept on finding, I couldn’t really believe it.
“All these terrible things were going through my mind, but she just kept finding. The other horses came, but she just kept finding that kick, she is very brave.”
It has been a successful juvenile season for Miss Federer, with the $10,000 Karaka yearling sale purchase, selected by Carston, also winning the Listed Welcome Stakes (1000m) at Riccarton in November.
Carston was thrilled with the result and said she could possibly head towards the Gr.2 J Swap Contractors Ltd Matamata Breeders’ Stakes (1200m) later this month.
“We’ll get home and just reassess, possibly the Breeders’ Stakes or we will take her home,” Carston said.
Congratulations to winning owners Mark and Dawn Dowling, Clint and Jill Tauri, Russell and Ros McClean, Dave and Jill MacGibbon, Brian and Margaret Sheppard, Beau and Ann Trevathan, Lindsay and Kaz Harliwich, Joy Isaacs, Janice Banks and Terry Williamson.