Sandave Sapphire takes out Group 3 Wentworth Park Gold Cup
SANDAVE Sapphire produced the performance of her career on Saturday night to win the Group 3 Wentworth Park Gold Cup (720m) in emphatic fashion.
Trained by Dave Richardson, Sandave Sapphire went to the boxes as the $5 second elect behind recent Group 1 Association Cup winner Lioness Lulu ($2.30) for Victorian trainer Mark Giddings, which was expected to lead all the way for her 22 year old mentor.
When the boxes flew open, Sandave Sapphire was the first to go from box six, with Lioness Lulu following her across from the eight and Whittaker, which gained a start as the first reserve following the scratching of Explosive Range, quickly slipping into third spot behind the leading pair.
The top trio didn't change formation throughout the entirety of the half mile trip, with Sandave Sapphire further extending her lead in the closing stages to record a five length victory in a blistering 41.80 – by far her personal best over the track and trip.
Lioness Lulu was far from disgraced in second spot, with Whittaker running his usual honest race to fill the trifecta.
A daughter of Miagi and Stately Sapphire, Sandave Sapphire has now won 10 of her 30 career starts including five of her least nine over the testing Wentworth Park journey, with her prize money earnings also ballooning to a hefty $55,357 following the triumph.
Watch Sandave Sapphire (6) winning the Group 3 Wentworth Park Gold Cup.
More to come…