Tomasina gets deserved Riverton victory
Consistent mare Tomasina turned around her most recent form with a vengeance when she took out the Francolin Stakes – Entain/NZB Insurance Pearl Series (1400m) at Riverton on Saturday.
Trainer Sabin Kirkland was prepared to overlook her last start failure when finishing second to last in open company at Wingatui in late February as the five-year-old daughter of Darci Brahma had failed to find clear running in the home straight that day when appearing to be travelling sweetly.
This time apprentice Hayley Hassman made good use of an inside barrier to have the daughter of Darci Brahma trucking along nicely behind pacemaker Palace Princess before edging alongside her rounding the home bend.
Tomasina found a strong kick to dash clear and never looked like stopping as she held out a late run from Canasta who charged home from near last on the corner.
Kirkland was delighted to see the mare bounce back to the form that saw her finish third in the Listed Timaru Stakes (1200m) at Riccarton in January.
“You had to forget about her last start as she is a very smart mare in this sort of ground (Soft 6),” Kirkland said.
“She had 2kgs off her back and was travelling peaches and cream, so I was rapt during the running.
“We will probably look at Christchurch now over their Easter Carnival.”
Some of the options available to Kirkland with his charge at Riccarton in the next few weeks include the Listed Daphne Bannan Great Easter Stakes (1400m), which will be run on 25 April.
Bred by the late South Island thoroughbred identity Beverley Jones and now raced by her son Sam Jones, Tomasina is out of the Gr.3 Canterbury Breeders’ Stakes (1400m) winner Miss Alice and is the younger sister of seven-race winner Miss Brittany.
She has now won six of her 32 starts and just under $150,000 in prizemoney.
