The Listed VRC Maribyrnong Trial for two year-olds at Flemington on Saturday was won in a thrilling finish by Snitzel filly Nomothaj, who was raised in the paddocks of Newgate Farm as was last week’s Sydney juvenile stakes-winner Satin Slipper.
Trained by the Hayes Dabernig partnership, Nomothaj was expected to go well and lived up to expectation when showing good pace to be right in contention with a furlong to run.
She fought on solidly for Steve Baster to hold off Godolphin’s Lonhro colt Ranier by a nose with third going to Sunlight, who gave highly rated first season sire Zoustar a stakes horse with his first runner.
“The Hayes team do a great job and she had done everything right in her jump outs,” said Steve Baster.
A $420,000 Magic Millions purchase for Shadwell Australia from the Newgate Farm draft, Nomothaj runs for the same connections as slick filly Madeenaty, who won the same race last year on debut before going on to finish third in the $2million Magic Millions 2YO Classic.
“It’s a great result for Shadwell and Sheikh Hamdan, Angus Gold picked her out at Magic Millions,” said David Hayes.
“She fought like a tiger, so we might have a good tough filly here.
“We’ll back off her now and look towards the Magic Millions.”
Foaled, raised and sold by Newgate Farm, Nomothaj was bred by Love Racing and is the second foal of stakes-winner Real Stolle, who won the Group III VRC Maribyrnong Plate at two.
By Elusive Quality (USA) from a half-sister to stakes-winner Chattanooga, Real Stolle was purchased by James Harron Bloodstock for $325,000 from the Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale in 2013. She has a yearling colt by Exceed and Excel and has foaled this spring producing another filly by Snitzel.
Nomothaj is the 71st stakes-winner for champion sire Snitzel.