New Tasmanian Star Emerges in Hela

Unbeaten Hela (Night of Thunder-Smooth Return, by Redoute's Choice) won the Listed Strutt Stakes on Sunday in a demolition that showed her star quality, reports tasracing.com.au. Trained by Scott Brunton, the 3YO filly has now won all of her five starts and over $124,000. "Neil Walsh and I liked this filly when we looked at her at Alva Stud before the 2019 (Magic Millions) 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 a half-sister to Gr3 winner Toorak Affair (Toorak Toff). With Hela confirmed to miss the Tasmanian Oaks at Launceston in a fortnight, that race looks to be a more open affair.