It is a case of one-and-done for Lodi Dodi in her juvenile season, with the promising filly set to head for a spell after winning on debut in the Brookby Stables (1150m) at Te Aroha on Wednesday.
Pleasing in two trial appearances, including a victory over 1000m at Matamata last month, trainers Graham Richardson and Rogan Norvall were confident of a bold first-up showing from the daughter of Blue Point.
From her wide gate she was taken back to settle at the rear of the field for jockey Jasmine Fawcett, who bided her time before setting her charge alight at the turn and she ran over the top of her rivals to score by a length.
Fawcett was impressed by the run, but said she wasn’t surprised, having partnered her in her two trial outings, and she believes a bright future is instore for the filly.
“I was quietly confident because I knew she is a horse that keeps on improving. Today she put it all together and that is what you want on raceday,” Fawcett said.
“She was a little bit green in front, there will be big improvement from her.”
Richardson was pleased with Lodi Dodi’s winning performance and said she is now set to spend some time on the sidelines to strengthen and mature before being targeted towards some three-year-old stakes targets in the spring.
“It was a good effort coming back from second-to-last. I am over the moon with that,” Richardson said.
“She will go out for a good holiday and we will get her ready for the Gold Trail Stakes (Gr.3, 1200m). She has got a lot of strengthening up and growing to do, she is a lovely horse.”
Richardson was also pleased with the debut performance of stablemate Alizarin (NZ) (Lonhro), who finished a luckless sixth, and he believes the Cambridge Stud-bred and raced colt also has a bright future.
“The other horse was just a bit unlucky, he couldn’t get out, so (there are) futures for both of them,” Richardson said.