Like mother like daughter in New Zealand Thoroughbred Breeders’ Stakes

Progressive mare She’s A Dealer (Ace High) followed in the footsteps of her mum Say No More (NZ) (Pentire) as she captured the Gr.1 Listen Live on Sportnation.nz New Zealand Thoroughbred Breeders’ Stakes (1600m) 14 years after her dam achieved the feat.

The Roger James and Robert Wellwood-trained four-year-old benefitted from a change of tactics after earlier races on the day had fallen in favour of horses who were in or near the lead and stuck to an inside course in the home straight.

Wellwood didn’t mince words when describing those tactics after the victory.

“She is a fit and tough mare and was probably ready to go 2000m,” Wellwood said.

“We had a big chat with Roger (James) and George (Rooke, jockey) and we thought if we didn’t go forward and put her in the race we might as well put her on the truck back home.

“We put her in the race and it paid off so it was wonderful to get the result.”

Rooke followed the instructions to the letter as he had the daughter of Ace High placed one out and one back behind Afternoon Siesta (Shamus Award) as she and Special Sakura (NZ) (Staphanos) set up a steady speed in front.

Rooke made his bid on the mare rounding the home bend as she joined the first two before the trio set down to fight out the finish.

She’s A Dealer showed plenty of heart as she hit the front and held out Special Sakura, who fought back bravely, by three-quarters of a length with Afternoon Siesta holding out the flashing late run of Khanshe (NZ) (Mongolian Khan) to claim third.

“She hasn’t had a lot of luck in this prep as she has been running very good races without the luck,” Wellwood said.

“She deserved that and Mum would be very proud as she won it a few years back.

“It’s a massive thrill for the team who work so hard and it is these sort of results that get everyone out of bed in the morning.

“She is a brave mare, a good mare and it is harder when they are only four as it is their first year against the older horses.

“That is not the last win you will see from her.”

Rooke was thrilled to get the victory after the plan that had been employed paid off.

“She’s been a very unlucky mare and we had no luck last time where she pulled a shoe coming out of the gates,” he said.

“We had no luck coming wide earlier in the day, so we thought we would take that out of the equation and sit wide as she is crying out for 2000m.

“I was very happy the way she was travelling and she is tough and loves running.”

Out of the two-time Group One-winning Pentire mare Say No More, She’s A Dealer was bred by John and Colleen Thompson under their Rich Hill Thoroughbreds banner. They race the mare with Mark Neill, Richard Kidd, Ian Hart and Peter Merton.

She has now won five of her 11 starts and over $602,000 in prizemoney.