New Zealand-bred mare Basilinna capitalised on the reprogramming of the Yarra Valley Cup (2040m) to Moonee Valley on Saturday, scoring a hard-fought win in her first start of a new campaign.
The Yarra Valley Cup was originally scheduled to be run over 1950m last Sunday, but the meeting was called off after one race due to rain and deteriorating track conditions. The Yarra Valley Cup was instead added as an 11th race on Saturday’s Moonee Valley programme, and it was Basilinna who came out on top.
“We were the big beneficiary of that,” said Emma-Lee Browne, who trains in partnership with her husband David.
“We had her in for a mile here first-up, which we felt was going to be a bit sticky for her. She’s an out-and-out stayer. So we came here fresh-up. It was a little bit of a gamble. David and Lucy (daughter) ride her, and they assured me she was ready.
“We had a really tough spring with this mare, trying to get her back and trying to get her to hit the line. She didn’t even look like she wanted to be here, but she’s come back now a different horse. I’m rapt for the ownership group. They stuck by her.”
Basilinna was ridden by Dean Yendall, who settled near the tail in the early part of the race before guiding her to a narrow come-from-behind win over fellow New Zealand-bred Savoir Faire.
“You’re always hopeful in those tight finishes, and I was 99 per cent sure I’d got it,” Yendall said. “The plan was to try and hold a spot and that didn’t happen. After the first 100m, I was out the back second-last. She was kind through the bridle and travelled enormously.
“I was going to need an ounce of luck. I had the perfect run following that Te Akau horse (Savoir Faire). Young Lukey Cartwright did me a world of favours, I was able to follow him and get to his outside in the straight. She nutted to the line really well. She gave me a great feel.
“You can’t be more positive after a win like that today first-up over 2000m. It was a Benchmark 100, but she’s performed up to a great standard so they’ve got bigger and better things in store.”
The Brownes also bred and part-own Basilinna, having bought her dam So Royal for just $500 on Gavelhouse.com in 2019. A daughter of Novara Park stallion Staphanos, Basilinna has now had 15 starts for two wins, five placings and A$303,125 in stakes.
