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Hindaam breaks maidens; Sierra Sue scores first-up
Hindaam breaks maidens
The Tom Dabernig and Ben Hayes-trained Hindaam made light work of her opposition to break through for her maiden win over 1200m at Pakenham on Monday.
It was just the second start for the three-year-old daughter of Savabeel who finished runner-up over 1100m at Bendigo on debut.
Sporting the colours of Shadwell Stud, the filly jumped well from her wide barrier and was sent forward early by jockey Daniel Stackhouse to settle in the one-one.
Stackhouse asked his charge to improve three-wide turning for home and took the lead with a furlong to go and Hindaam quickly distanced her rivals to win by five lengths.
Hindaam, whose dam is a full-sister to dual Group One winner Merchant Navy, was bred by Cambridge's Windsor Park Stud.
"She's a really exciting filly going forward," Hayes said. "We're looking forward to throwing her in the deep end now."
Hindaam is rated a $34 chance for the G.1 Thousand Guineas (1600m) at Caulfield following her maiden win, which came in a time of 1:11.86.
The combination of Hayes and Dabernig also sent out another Shadwell-owned winner in Albukhturi, who broke maiden ranks over 1200m.
The son of Iffraaj was purchased for $360,000 from the draft of Haunui Farm at the 2019 Karaka Book 1 Yearling Sale.
Out of the O'Reilly mare Our Essence, a winner over 2000m, Albukhturi will be tried over further in the near future.
"I reckon he's a horse we'll probably place a little bit easier and hopefully get his confidence up," Hayes said.
"We'll try him out in trip next start in a nice ratings race, maybe at Sandown. He's bred to get over a lot further than a mile and hopefully we can get him out to those sort of trips."
Sierra Sue scores first-up
New Zealand-bred mare Sierra Sue proved a class above her opposition at Sale on Sunday when taking out her 1200m contest.
It was the first hit-out of the season for the Trent Busuttin and Natalie Young-trained four-year-old who has now won four of her six career starts, with all four coming on the Sale track.
Her trainers were pleased with her efforts, but admitted they were slightly concerned about her fitness levels heading into her first-up assignment.
"We were a bit concerned about her fitness, but the class factor got her over the line. She will take a lot of improvement out of that," Busuttin said.
The daughter of Darci Brahma contested the Gr.1 Schweppes Oaks (2000m) last term and her connections are once again eyeing some stakes targets for their mare.
"It's always hard going from a three-year-old to four-year-old for fillies in the spring, you are taking on the big guns," Busuttin said.
"We will try and find a nice Wednesday or Saturday grade race and see where we end up from there.
"We will try and target a stakes race at some stage."
Sierra Sue was purchased out of Ardsley Park's 2019 New Zealand Bloodstock May Sale draft for $2,000 by Te Aroha trainer Peter Lock, for whom she won a 1000m trial last December before being sold to clients of Busuttin and Young.