Annavisto’s sizzling return at Flemington has further boosted confidence in the daughter of Westbury Stud stallion Reliable Man adding an elite level victory to her record.
Off an eight-month break, the high-class performer produced a commanding front-running display to land the G3 Tony Burke Memorial over 1400 metres.
The Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr-trained five-year-old went close to Group 1 success last preparation when runner-up in the Queen of the Turf Stakes and will attempt to go one better in the Coolmore Classic.
“She has come back better. I thought she’d be a bit vulnerable first-up, but she does run above herself fresh,” Kent said.
“We’re hoping she’s not flat second-up as we’re going to a Group 1 in three weeks’ time and I’m rapt for the owners.”
Annavisto was quickly into stride at Flemington for rider Jamie Kah to make the running before they were taken on in front.
“I was a bit concerned because Wrote To Arataki was quite hard on me and that was the last thing I needed – a horse pressuring her,” Kah said.
However, Annavisto strode clear with 300 metres to run and waltzed away to score by three and a-half lengths in a slick of 1m.21.59s.
“She’s quicker, she’s faster, she’s a big strong mare, she’s furnished and full credit to her,” Kah said.
Annavisto has won seven of her 17 appearances, including two editions of the G3 Frances Tressady Stakes and the Listed Bendigo Guineas.
She was bred by Greg Tomlinson’s Nearco Stud, who remains in the ownership group, and was identified by bloodstock agent Phill Cataldo and purchased out of Tony Pike’s Cambridge stable after winning a trial at Te Teko in February, 2020.
She is a daughter of the Tavistock mare Avisto, who was a talented performer and won three times at Listed level in the Soliloquy Stakes, O’Leary’s Fillies’ Stakes and the Great Northern Foal Stakes.
The dam, who carries a positive test to Reliable Man, is a half-sister to the Listed Morphettville Guineas winner Celtic Tiger and the family of the recent G2 Royal Stakes and G3 Eulogy Stakes winner Polygon.