Promising filly Mille Grazie (NZ) (Super Seth) has made an encouraging start to her career and another bold showing at Riccarton will earn her passage further afield.
The well-related daughter of Super Seth made her way south without incident this week from Samantha Logan’s Cambridge base for a crack at Saturday’s Listed NZB Airfreight Stakes (1600m).
“She is earmarked to go to Australia and if she runs really well that will definitely be the case,” Logan said.
“It’s a good opportunity for some black type while she’s going so well.”
Mille Grazie has also continued the successful association Logan has forged with breeder and Elsdon Park principal Lib Petagna, who races the three-year-old under his JML Bloodstock banner.
“I’m very lucky that he continues to support me after a good start and we mostly do education and trials,” she said.
“Every now and then we get a nice one like this to have a few starts with.”
An earlier prime example was Ardrossan’s son Saltcoats (NZ) (Ardrossan), who made three appearances from Logan’s stable for Petagna and won the Listed Futurity Stakes (1400m) in his farewell performance as a juvenile.
He then relocated across the Tasman to Chris Waller and has since added two further victories to his record and three stakes placings.
“I’ve got three for him (Petagna) at the moment and it’s been a really good relationship,” Logan said.
Mille Grazie was a trial winner before she made a successful debut at Taupo in February and then finished a sound third behind stakes performer Romilly at Matamata last month.
“After she won on debut, we had a chat and looked at a nice race to try and get some black type as she’s such a nicely bred filly,” Logan said.
“She’s continued to progress nicely, we’ve taken her along quietly and everything she has done has pleased us.
“She’s got a lovely nature and has been very easy to have around.”
Mille Grazie is out of the Makfi mare Collay, whose half-sister Ruud Awakening won the Gr.1 Diamond Stakes (1200m) and the Karaka Millions (1200m) to be crowned the champion juvenile of her year.
Meanwhile, Logan’s progressive Swiss Ace four-year-old Flanagan (NZ) (Swiss Ace) is likely to make one more appearance before a break.
Raced by Westbury Stud’s Gerry Harvey, she placed in two of her first two starts before breaking her maiden at Matamata last month and made it two on the bounce at Ellerslie last time out.
“She has really stepped up with each race and might have one more start at Pukekohe on April 23 and then we’ll put her out and come back for the spring,” Logan said.
