O’Reilly trifecta in G3 Lowland Stakes

Waikato Stud champion O’Reilly filled out a feature trifecta when High Fashion (NZ) won the G3 Lowland Stakes (2100m) at Hastings on Saturday.

High Fashion (3f O’Reilly – Pin High by Pins) defeated Chandelier and Emerald Queen in another dominant performance for trainer Kevin Gray who has enjoyed a long and rewarding association with Waikato Stud.

The Palmerston North-based trainer is now looking to add to his record in the G1 NZ Oaks.  “I think the further they go the better she will be,” Gray said.  “She’s a very good filly and I’m lucky to have her in my stable.”

Gray won the NZ Oaks in 2006 with the Waikato Stud homebred Legs who later added the G1 Kelt Capital Stakes.  He also prepared the Chittick family’s Daffodil to land the 2009 AJC Oaks and she subsequently claimed the G1 Windsor Park Plate.

High Fashion had won the G3 Desert Gold Stakes at Trentham two starts ago and jockey Hayden Tinsley settled her well back in the Lowland field before dashing around runners to loom large at the top of the straight.   “I said to Mr Gray that there was a bit of pace and they would go hard,” Tinsley said.  “I gave her a slap at the 800 and she went quicker than I expected.”

The O’Reilly filly cost $30,000 from Waikato Stud at the 2011 Karaka Premier Sale and races for Gray’s stable clients Howard and Pam Forbes.  Her older half-brother Ultimate Aim (Centaine) won a G2 Waikato Gold Cup and Listed Geelong Cup.

The Lowland Stakes was the penultimate leg of the 10 race NZ Bloodstock Filly of the Year Series and High Fashion collected 6 points for the win.  The Series concludes with the G1 NZ Oaks on March 16.