Bridal Veil three from four at Matamata

Keeping the flag flying for the Ballymore female set, Bridal Veil (4 m Niagara – Eye Me Up, by Agnes World) won the $11,000 Trac Sports Bar Rating 72 1400 metres on 17 April at Matamata.

It was the third win in four days, after Salt Bay (Redwood) scored on Sunday and She’s A Goddess (Tavistock) won earlier on the programme. Interestingly, both She’s A Goddess and Bridal Veil had also won during the meeting on 19 December at Matamata.

Fifth behind a tearaway pacemaker, Bridal Veil improved to second entering the home straight, gained an advantage under rider Jake Bayliss at the 200m and did enough to see off a late closer in a photo finish.

On Dead4 footing, Bridal Veil ran the 1400 metres in a slick 1:22.8 and shortened on an earlier fixed odds quote of $4.60 & $1.90 to close at $3.60 & $1.70 on the NZ TAB tote.

In training for The Oaks Stud, Bridal Veil extended her near exemplary course record to three wins and a third from four starts.

“It was another good win and she’s always performed well on her home track,” said co-trainer Pam Gerard. “It was a tough effort because she had to set out after the leader who had raced clear with a four-kilo claimer on and once she got to the front then had to withstand a strong challenge.

“She’s always been lightly framed, but certainly has ability and I can see her continuing to improve next season with further maturity and strengthening. We think she has the ability to compete at stakes level because she’s got an all important turn of foot.”

Following a 1-3-3 form line, Bridal Veil had run a faster 600m (35.1) time than the winner when finishing solidly amongst runners at her previous start on 30 March in the Rating 72 1400 metres at Awapuni.

“I thought it wasn’t a bad run at Awapuni, where she didn’t have everything go her way,” Gerard said. “She was squeezed up a bit and lost her momentum at a vital time and wasn’t far away at the finish.

"We added side winkers today to help her focus and she looked very competitive in this field after galloping up well.”

While Gerard feels a spell would benefit the mare no end, a continuation of reasonable footing could also enable the prospect of another start.

“I’ll have a chat to Mike (Moroney), and Rick (Williams) at The Oaks, and just see what options would be best for her,” she said.

“She’s a very honest mare and rated 67, depending on the handicapper I’d like to think she could have her next start in the same grade.”

Bridal Veil has inherent ability on her dam side from Eye Me Up, a mare that impressed winning three times over 1200 metres.

The Oaks general manager Rick Williams: “I bought her as a weanling out of the paddock for $5,000 when Greg and Jo Griffin shifted to Australia, and we took over standing Niagara. I bought her and Tenacious, who we’ve subsequently leased out and she’s won and finished second for Fraser Auret. But, we probably preferred this filly and I’m a pretty hard marker but felt she was worth keeping in work as a four-year-old because she’s got a bit of talent.”

Bridal Veil was strapped by Bianca Disher.