 | RACING HISTORY |
YEAR: 2008
FEATURE RACE COMMENT
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It might have looked a close call for Lizzie Maguire in the $130,000 PGG Wrightson NZ Yearling Sales Series Fillies Pace last Friday night, but one who knows says she was more than a half-head and shoulders above the others. Her performance to sit parked for the last lap and dig deep to hold off trailing snipers CC's Mademoiselle and Susie Maguire drew praise from Peter Ferguson. As the driver, he knew that Lizzie would pull out all stops if the occasion called for it. And this one did.
Attacked by Susie on the inner and CC's Mademoiselle on the outer, Lizzie fought them off and although the margin might have suggested a strained and unconvincing win, Ferguson said it was not. "She was going away at the end. She went a little bit fresh and got keen down the back, and then sprinted strongly over the last 300 metres. With Gareth's horses you know they are fit and they're not out there unless they are a chance. He is very professional, and the welfare of the horses comes first," he said.
As Gareth Dixon, Lizzie's trainer has gone beyond the ranks of up-and-comers for a place amongst the elite. "I've got to get the results and win races at this level," said Dixon. "Kerry" - whose daughter Helen races Lizzie Maguire - "is a big investor. He's a very big owner and spent more than $300,000 at the Sales last week...two Cullens, two McArdles, a Presidential Ball...wins like this are important," he said.
There was clear evidence again of the professionalism Ferguson speaks of by the manner in which Dixon has monitored Lizzie's career. He would have given her a quick holiday after winning the Jewels and had her racing for spring rewards. Instead, with his eye on the horse and mind on later objectives, he put her aside for 10 weeks. "We would not have been able to do these big races now, go on to the Jewels and perhaps have a longer season if she didn't have the longer break then. She's very relaxed and there is still some improvement to come," he said.
In only her fourth start, and her first since late December, CC's Mademoiselle has emerged as a player at the top level, and Susie Maguire was also a game contestant in the finish, edging past the pacemaker, Fight Fire With Fire.
Credit: Mike Grainger writing in HRWeekly 20Feb08