Thursday, 25th April 2024
All enquiries - Gary Knowles 0406 599 773
Hungry Heart (Frankel-Harlech, by Pivotal) confirmed her status as the toughest staying filly in Australasia with a brilliant win in Saturday’s $1 million Group 1 Australian Oaks (2400m) at Randwick. Sent out a very backable $5 chance after back-to-back group wins including a last start Gr1 Vinery Stud Stakes success Hungry Heart proved much too good in a race where the best fillies of Australia and New Zealand clashed, defeating Duais (Shamus Award) by 1.25-lengths, while kiwi filly Bargain (Ocean Park) was third. Trainer Chris Waller was quick to heap praise on the filly who has always raced against the best, including in a Golden Slipper as a juvenile. “She's a very special filly with an international pedigree and we're very proud of her. She's matured with age, which you'd expect. She was a little on her toes as a 2YO, just a baby learning what it is all about,” said Waller. [Yulong principals] the Zhangs are great investors and it's fantastic to win an Oaks for them.” Hungry Heart was a $300,000 Gold Coast Yearling Sale buy for Damon Gabbedy’s Belmont Bloodstock Agency in 2019. Yulong offered Harlech, carrying the Oaks heroine, at the 2017 National Broodmare Sale on the Gold Coast but she failed to reach her $540,000 reserve.
