22.08.10
De Lovely claims Crown
Champion kiwi filly De Lovely treated her rivals with utter disdain in Sunday's AU$188,000 Group 1 Australasian Breeders Crown 3YO Fillies Final (2,240m) at Tabcorp Park, Melton becoming the shortest priced favourite to win a pacing final in Crown history.
The Geoff Small trained daughter of Falcon Seelster didn't have everything go her way either with the NZ and Australian Oaks winner three wide for the first half of the race, much of it without cover, before working her way to the lead. Once in front though, the race was as good as over with De Lovely powering away in the straight to win by 9.5m from Miss Trickin Lombo and Art Princess in a mile rate of 1:57.6.
Unbeaten since winning the NZ Oaks back in May, De Lovely has now recorded 11 wins, four at Group 1 level, and stakes earnings of more than $470,000.
Bred and raced by the Les Girls No 2 Syndicate De Lovely is the first foal of former NZ Oaks winner Copper Beach (Beach Towel), who won her Breeders Crown Semi back in 2004 but could not win the Final.
