Loving Cilla has been close to the action in recent appearances and she gained a deserved victory at Randwick on Saturday.
The Westbury Stud graduate drifted to last in the Midway Handicap over 1800 metres before the daughter of Reliable Man picked up ground near the turn.
Rider Tyler Schiller angled the mare wide at the top of the straight and she responded in style with a sustained finish earning her the fourth victory of her career.
“It all worked out perfectly and was a bit like the Randwick of old, get back and come home down the outside,” trainer Greg Hickman said.
“Her work had been up to scratch and she was a bit unlucky at her last start.”
Loving Cilla had finished fifth over 1400 metres at both Newcastle and Hawkesbury to open her campaign and then came from last to run third at Randwick over a mile and Hickman believes she may star over more ground.
“She might get over a bit further yet, although she’s doesn’t look like a stayer,” he said.
Bred by Stewart Hune, Loving Cilla was purchased out of Westbury’s Book 2 draft at New Zealand Bloodstock’s National Yearling Sale by Ible Racing and DJI Bloodstock for $30,000.
She is a daughter of the Encosta De Lago mare Equivalence who is from the up-front family of the dual European Group 2 winner and sire Distant View.
Loving Cilla’s sire Reliable Man also enjoyed success at Riccarton where his durable son The Buffer won the Coupland’s Bakeries Mile Trial for trainer Kenny Rae and Krystal Williams, in a driving finish over 1400 metres.
The result was a memorable one for stable apprentice Danika Wilson who gained the first riding success of her career aboard the seven-year-old.
“She is a very dedicated person who deserves that win for all the hard work she puts in,” Rae said.
“He was her first ride when he resumed and I thought she did a good job on him then and better again. I told her not to panic and to stay wide as that is the best place on the track the way it is playing.
“He’s been around a bit and he needs to be ridden a certain way and he responds to the kids really well.”
The Buffer long been a valued member of the stable with 10 career victories and has black type on his record with a past third in the Listed Timaru Cup.
He has proved a grand money-spinner with career earnings in excess of $205,000 after Rae purchased him out of Anistay Lodge’s draft at Karaka for $25,000.
The Buffer is out of the Stravinsky mare Wahaha whose half-brother Wall Street won four times at Group 1 level.