Femminile completed a tremendous week for Vinery Stud graduates with a Listed victory in the Oaklands Plate (1400m) at Morphettville on Saturday.
The Phillip Stokes-trained 2yo filly hoisted a wet sail on a Heavy 9 with stunning late rally down the grandstand rail that astounded her jockey Kayla Crowther. “I can’t believe she won from where she was halfway down the straight,” Crowther declared after the last-to-first finish. “She absolutely flew and has pulled up not blowing at all. She really is a classy filly.”
Femminile (2f Dundeel – Femme Fireball by Pierro) is raced by an OTI partnership that includes her breeders Scott Delzoppo and Mimi Kleber. They sold her through Vinery (as agent) for $150,000 at the 2023 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale.
She was the fourth 2yo winner from that consignment in the last week of June following the Written Tycoon colts Earth God (Geelong – June 21), Gallant Son (Sale – June 26) and Judicial (Ballarat – June 28).
Stokes described Femminile as a “quality, strong-moving filly” earlier this year and he has decided to spell her immediately to focus on a spring campaign instead of staying in work for the SA Sires’ Produce Stakes (Gr.3, 1400m) on July 20.
“The blinkers have really switched her on and she improved at least four lengths on her first start at Sandown,” Stokes said from his Pakenham stables on Monday. “She had been working with some Saturday-grade horses in Melbourne and was sitting in behind them and finishing off those gallops.
“I was originally going to run her in the SA Sires’ Produce but if I do that she probably won’t have enough time to get ready for the Wakeful Stakes (Gr.2, 2000m) at Flemington. She relaxes beautifully but I’m not sure if she’s a VRC Oaks filly in the spring or maybe the Australasian Oaks in the autumn.”
Vinery (as agent) sold her half-sister by Bivouac to Bennett Racing for $140,000 at this year’s Inglis Easter Yearling Sale and their dam Femme Fireball has a filly foal by Darley shuttler Pinatubo (Shamardal).
