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This weekend is set to be one of the biggest in Chad Ormsby’s career, and the Cambridge trainer kicked it off in style with Pulchritudinous winning Friday’s Gr.2 Little Avondale Lowland Stakes (2000m) at Taupo.
The three-year-old fillies' feature was run less than 24 hours out from tomorrow's Gr.1 Newmarket Handicap (1200m) at Flemington, in which Ormsby will saddle his unbeaten star sprinter Master Fay.
"You can't really ask for a better way to kick off the weekend," Ormsby said. "Any win is always good, but a bit of black type for a lovely filly like her just makes it even better."
Pulchritudinous was bought by Ormsby under his Riverrock Farm banner for $32,500 from Book 2 of Karaka 2022. She was a stylish maiden winner in the second start of her career at Tauranga in October, then recorded one placing from her three appearances since then. A strong finish for a last-start third over 1600m on February 11 gave the impression that she was looking for further.
Pulchritudinous stepped up to 2000m for the first time in Friday's Lowland, which was rescheduled from last week's abandoned meeting at Hastings. Ridden by Joe Doyle, Pulchritudinous settled in sixth place behind a solid pace set by Harlow Rocks and Leave A Light On. She was cruising along beside the rail, with warm favourite Sudbina just in front of her and on her outside.
Sudbina loomed out wide on the track at the home turn, and Pulchritudinous surged through and quickly joined her on her inside. They matched motors for a few strides before Pulchritudinous pulled clear, kicking away to win by a length and three-quarters from the dead-heat second placegetters Race Ace and Sign Of Peace.
Pulchritudinous has now had six starts for two wins, a placing and $101,705 in stakes.
"We were expecting and hoping that she'd put in a good performance today," said Ormsby, who also shares in the ownership along with four others. "Her work had gone to another level recently, so the signs were pretty good. She went out there today and showed that she's starting to put things together.
"She enjoyed a lovely run and had the favourite outside her. They were on level terms there for a while in the straight, but then she just found that little bit more with her fresher legs. It was great to see."
Pulchritudinous moved in from $26 to $10 on the TAB's market for the Gr.1 Al Basti Equiworld Dubai New Zealand Oaks (2400m) at Trentham next Saturday, but Ormsby will wait until early next week before deciding whether she will back up.
"What we do with her now is all going to depend on how she comes through this," he said. "I'm obviously in Melbourne for the next few days, so I'll run my eye over her on Monday or Tuesday once I'm back. She's nominated for the Oaks, and it could be a great race to target with her, but it just depends on how she comes through this and whether she's ready to go again on that tight turnaround."
Pulchritudinous was bred by Tony Rider and has now joined Wrote To Arataki and Best Seller as the third stakes-winning daughter of Highview Stud stallion Wrote.
Meanwhile, Ormsby reported that Master Fay has continued to have a flawless build-up to his shot at Australian Group One gold in Saturday's Newmarket.
"He's ticked all the boxes and is thriving while he's been over here in Melbourne," he said. "He's gained weight since he's been here and is looking great. I'm excited for tomorrow."
