Gold Front Thoroughbreds filly Prete A Partir lived right up to her name with a winning debut at Ascot on Saturday.

French for ‘Ready to Go’, she did best after a bumping duel with Oradol (Oratorio) to score by a half-length in the Budget Truck Rental Plate (1000m).  Third home Dance Mindy Dance (Patronize) flew from last on the corner to finish within two lengths of the winner.

Prete A Partir (2f Choisir – Sigaro by Lujain) is a homebred for Gold Front owners Alan and Sue Olive.  “She had been ready a couple of times but kept drawing bad barriers,” Alan Olive said.  “Then a stone bruise put her on the easy list.”

Trainers Lou and Dion Luciani had her primed for a first-up victory and she saluted at $6.  “We were pretty confident and she had been prepped pretty good,” Olive added.  “It was a top ride by Jason (Whiting).  He kept the second filly in a pocket long enough to make the difference.”

Prete A Partir is the fifth juvenile winner by Coolmore Stud sire Choisir this season and two of them have lobbed at Listed level:  Eloping (MRC Blue Diamond Preview) & Marcado (VRC Talindert Stakes).

Her dam Sigaro is a half-sister to Carry On Cutie who was a Group 1 winner of the 2005 AJC Champagne Stakes.  The mare has a yearling colt by Blackfriars and a filly foal by Poet’s Voice.

Earlier on Saturday, Gold Front colt Awesome Rock split Zululand and Marcado in the VRC Sires’ Produce Stakes at Flemington.  Trainer Leon Corstens was delighted with the Group 2 placing considering his colt worked three and four wide at headquarters.

The Olives bred Awesome Rock (Fastnet Rock) and kept a share in a syndicate that includes stable clients Stan and Jodie Saric, Wayne and Denise Birch & John Tresize.  “We have always had a decent opinion of this bloke,” Corstens said.  “The owners should have plenty of fun with him.”

– Karl Patterson