Testing material at Sandown

Samaready’s half-sister Samartested stepped forwarded as the next stakes winner from her family with a determined victory in the Cove Hotel Hcp (1400m) at Sandown-Hillside on Wednesday.

The Gerry Harvey bred, Mick Price trained filly was momentarily held up at a crucial stage in the straight but shouldered her way into the clear inside the distance.  From then on, the daughter of Testa Rossa staged a stirring duel with Lindsay Park galloper Lotion before getting the upper hand to make it two wins from three starts.

“I think she will be a better filly as she gets older like most Testa Rossas,” Price said.  “She’s done a good job in her first preparation, she’s only a slight filly and I don’t think we can do too much more with her, her temperament is starting to go a little bit south on us.

“I think she needs to improve to chase solid black-type but we’ve got her whole three-year-old year in front of us and there’s a lot of opportunities.  There’s going to be a time when we certainly chase black-type but just at this stage I think she’s had enough.”

Samartested is the sixth foal of Samar whose third and fourth foals are stakes winners Night War (G1 Karakatta Plate) and Vinery’s own dual Group 1 winner Samaready.

Prince said Samaready (More Than Ready) is nearing a return in the G3 How Now Stakes (1200m) on September 20 ahead of a potential clash with Lankan Rupee (Redoute’s Choice) and Buffering (Mossman) in the G1 Manikato Stakes (1200m) at Moonee Valley in October.