Talk about “keeping it in the family”!
Traralgon’s 350-metre track record was held by Maxed Out – 19.513sec, set on April 22 this year.
But his mark was ‘topped’ by litter sister Simba’s Girl ($1.30F), which saluted by 7.6L and semaphored a scintillating 19.375sec in a Grade 5 on Monday. It was just over 2L quicker than the previous mark.
And there’s another ‘common denominator’, as both Simba’s Girl and Maxed Out – Jun ’20 Aussie Infrared x Pat’s Lass – are trained by Graeme Jose at Catani.
It was a big day out for Jose who only 22 minutes earlier had taken out a Mixed 4/5 (395m) with Aston Salma ($1.60F) – a younger half-sister of newly crowned Victorian GOTY Aston Rupee – in 22.33sec.
But the star of the show was Simba’s Girl, which notched her seventh win (with two seconds and three thirds) – including her past three in a row – from 12 starts. Her stakes total $31,420.
Back on June 17, Simba’s Girl was runner-up to Patriot Earhart in the Pink Diamond Princess final (450m) at Ballarat.
And 12 days later, she clocked 22.27sec over 395m taking out a Great 8 Regional Series Damsels Dash (395m) at Traralgon.
It was a courageous win as she tore a monkey muscle in transit, resulting in a seven-week racing hiatus.
But she made a triumphant return, clocking 22.63sec in defeating He’s No Slouch – a litter brother of Wow She’s Fast – in a Mixed 4/5 (400m) at Warragul last Tuesday.
Simba’s Girl revealed her vast potential from her first outing, winning a Maiden heat (395m) in 21.85sec over Rapaki Rocks at Traralgon prior to finishing second to Mr. Audacious in the final.
But it didn’t come as a surprise Jose. He knew he had something special not long after her owner Adam Hunter sounded him out to train the flying femme.
“It’s difficult for Adam to train given his work commitments,” Jose said. But he had a fair bit to do with her pre-training, and it was obvious she had the ‘goods’ within 2-3 months of joining my kennel.
“In fact, she has previously trialled quicker (19.38sec) when Maxed Out held the Traralgon track record.”
Jose added Simba Girl only had four ‘hit-outs’ up his 450-metre straight track prior to winning at Warragul.
“I knew she was underdone when I put her in (at Warragul), but now I want to nurse her along and gradually build her up to 500 metres.”
Jose advised that Simba’s Girl, Maxed Out and Aston Salma would tackle the GRV Vic Bred Series Grade 5 heats (440m) at Sale on Sunday.
Pawnote: Simba’s Girl’s unraced dam (Pat’s Lass) is a litter sister of Startron, which contested two G3 Healesville Cups – 2019 (third) and 2018 (fifth).
WATCH: SIMBA’S GIRL (B8) smashes the 350m track record at Traralgon on Monday afternoon.
