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A new star of Tasmanian racing emerged in Hobart on Sunday when unbeaten filly Hela demolished a strong field in the $100,000 Crowne Plaza Listed Strutt Stakes over 2100m.
The Scott Brunton-trained three-year-old went into the race having won her only four starts, but this latest win that stretched her winning streak to five was clearly her best.
Brunton predicted a long time ago that Hela could be a superstar waiting to happen.
With David Pires in the saddle, the daughter of Night Of Thunder from the Redoute's Choice mare Smooth Return, flew the gates to land in front at the finishing post the first time, and from there it was a procession.
The filly ticked off slick early sectionals and by the time she reached the home straight, she had most of her rivals gasping for air.
Hela hit the line well clear of Victorian invaders Chequerboard ($5.50) and Mystique Falcon ($7.50) with Indigo Girls ($101) the next Tasmanian home but a distant fourth.
"Neil Walsh and I liked this filly when we looked at her at Alva Stud before the 2019 Tassie yearling sale and when she went to auction my Dad, David Brunton, said if we were prepared to ignore a couple of minor imperfections, she was the pick of the sale," Brunton said.
"We paid $32,000 for her and she was a work in progress, but the wait has been worthwhile.
"We've had to be patient but this time in she has been very good and if I'm right, there are much better races for her, but this is her last run this preparation.
"She will go out for a well-deserved break and when she comes back, we will have a look at a stakes race interstate."
Hela is raced by a bunch of Brunton's stable stalwarts and a couple of first-time owners and after this win, many are already talking about heading to the Tasmanian Magic Millions Yearling Sale later this month to reinvest.
The minor placegetters were game in defeat, but they were not in the same league as Hela.
However, with Brunton confirming his star filly will not be heading to the Tasmanian Oaks in Launceston in a fortnight, connections of Chequerboard and Mystique Falcon are most likely to take up that challenge.