Richard & Chantelle Jolly have taken out the Group 3 Northwood Plume Stakes with Aviatress ($6), who has claimed the first Group race of the Caulfield Cup Carnival on Saturday afternoon.
Craig Williams settled the daughter of Smart Missile on speed outside of Shaime ($26), and the two ran the race to suit themselves, as they set a moderate tempo and gave a strong kick on the home turn.
Coming off a strong victory at Morphettville last start, the four-year-old mare regained her confidence and showed a clean pair of heels to pull away from a strong field of mares.
The race favourite with horse racing bookmakers, A Little Deep ($3.20), settled behind the speed with Extratwo ($6.50); however, upon straightening, none of the favoured runners could go with the winner as she booted clear.
A Little Deep held off the rest of the field and finished in second place ahead of a fast-finishing Bizot ($17), who rounded out the placings.
2024 Northwood Plume Stakes replay – Aviatress
Richard Jolly was on course to speak about the victory post-race.
“Yeah, it’s good to see. We always give it our best when we come over,” Jolly said.
“This mare’s been a bit unlucky, I’d say, this prep. She probably should have won a couple more just through gates and rides and things.
“She was struggling to get a run in these races and we needed her rating to be a bit higher, so we opted to stay in Adelaide, which she duly won, bumped her up another four points to an 80 rater, which just helped her secure a run in these races because we’ve always thought she was good enough, but we were borderline being emergencies and not knowing where we were going.
“She really should have won a stakes race by now.
“She’s been hampered by bad barriers. She hasn’t had much go right.
“So, she’s always been at this level, but we just had to work our way there.”
Craig Williams was quick to compliment the Jolly’s in his post-race interview.
“Credit to Chantelle and Richard Jolly, the trainers. They’ve got a really good handle on their horse,” Williams said.
“Of course, I love these colours, they’re like family to me.
“I certainly did (have confidence pre-race).
“She ran in a similar type of race two runs ago, and she was beaten a length, and that day was really windy, and I learned a bit about her and thought she’d acquit herself really well on that day.
“Since then she went back to Adelaide and got a win and a kill, more confidence. And she drew the right barrier, looked like it was going to map well for us.
“Credit to the training operation. They bring them here ready, prepared. And then we just have to trust her willing spirit and her fitness. And she was awesome today. She really enjoyed it.”
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