Wow! What a fabulous run from Aussie mare Ortensia to win the Coolmore Nunthorpe Stakes at York overnight. Paul Messara's seven-year-old was almost last and at least 10 lengths behind the leader at the halfway stage of the five-furlong (1000m) Grp 1 race. Jockey William Buick retained the coolest of heads as he pushed her up the far side of the track and the well-backed 7/2 joint-favorite collared Spirit Quartz in the shadow of the post to score by a neck. Buick says: "It's fantastic, I don
Wow! What a fabulous run from Aussie mare Ortensia to win the Coolmore Nunthorpe Stakes at York overnight. Paul Messara's seven-year-old was almost last and at least 10 lengths behind the leader at the halfway stage of the five-furlong (1000m) Grp 1 race. Jockey William Buick retained the coolest of heads as he pushed her up the far side of the track and the well-backed 7/2 joint-favorite collared Spirit Quartz in the shadow of the post to score by a neck. Buick says: "It's fantastic, I don't know how she won, to be honest. They went very fast and I was a long way back, but I could hold a straight course the whole way and she's so much better when she doesn't have to be switched in or out...You could see the way she finished the race she's got so much speed and I think if she steps back up to six (furlongs) again, she'll be very hard to beat...I don't think I've been quicker in a race before and they just got her off the bridle, but when she gets to the furlong and a half marker she hits that sixth gear and picks up well. Ortensia is now likely to head for the Betfred Sprint Cup at Haydock on Sep 8.