There was no bad luck for Sierra Sue on Saturday, as the mare broke through for her maiden Group 1 victory in the Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield.
After a luckless seventh in the Feehan Stakes last start, the Mildura Cup winner was given a brilliant steer by Daniel Moor who claimed his first Australian Group 1 win on his birthday in Peter Siddle-esque style.
Heavily backed favourite I’m Thunderstruck stormed home from last to run third, just behind Dice Roll.
An emotional Daniel Moor spent a quick moment with Sierra Sue prior to dismounting, which he says was a special moment for him.
“I rode a Group 1 in Mauritius, but it’s pretty easy to forget about them ones,” Moor told Racing.com.
“It’s been a life’s work here, I’ve got a lot of people to thank.
“You watch people win big races and they get emotional and you think ‘oh bloody hell, they’re friggen softies’, but it sort of hit me a bit there.
“I just wanted a minute with her.
“She dug in deep for me; I’m just so proud of the mare.”
The race was set up perfectly for a backmarker to finish strongly after Buffalo River and Groundswell set a solid tempo in front, while Nick Ryan’s gelding Dice Roll was game in defeat after being wide and up on speed throughout.
Moor said he took bad luck out of the equation today after being stuck in traffic on the mare last time out at The Valley.
As for the now Group 1 winning mare’s co-trainer Trent Busuttin, he believes that had she have won the Feehan Stakes a fortnight ago she would have been out-weighted in today’s race and probably would not have started in the race and instead locked horns with Zaaki in next week’s Underwood Stakes.
While no plans are set for Sierra Sue for the rest of the Spring, Busuttin admits that the $2M The Invitation would be appealing if they were able to travel her north to Sydney, however the Empire Rose Stakes (1600m) on Derby Day at Flemington shapes as her likely next target, while the Cox Plate is not off the table.
Sierra Sue is a $26 chance for the Empire Rose Stakes on October 30, while she is a $17 shot in The Invitation.