Pure Aqua improved the strike-rate of Adelaide trainers Richard and Chantelle Jolly with Headwater to 80% when she scored a resounding victory in the Without Fear Stakes (LR, 1050m) on Saturday.
Breaking through at Morphettville after two luckless runs at her home track, Pure Aqua also becomes the 7th individual Stakes winner by Headwater and the 4th in juvenile company by the Vinery stallion.
“We got there. It was her day today and what a day to do it!” Richard Jolly said. “It was a perfect steer from Jake (Toeroek) to show this filly’s full potential after running into some bad luck. And she’s our second Without Fear 2yo winner by Headwater.”
Toeroek was also impressed and said there’s more improvement to come following the one-length victory over Cosmic Ride (Shamus Award) and Trembles (Too Darn Hot). “I gave her a couple of very ordinary rides but today it all worked out and we lobbed on the back of the favourite.
“She still doesn’t know how to bridle up and travel into the race properly, but when you do ask her she is very strong to the line. I have a good opinion of the filly going forward.”
The father and daughter team also prepared Headwater filly Aitch Two Oh to win the 2022 Without Fear Stakes and the VRC Red Roses Stakes (Gr.3, 1100m) at that year’s Melbourne spring carnival. Her current stats stand at 5 wins in 14 starts for prizemoney of $469,570.
“We’re ecstatic,” Richard said after that earlier win Flemington. “We’ve had good luck with the Headwaters like Keep Reading and Karacas and while they keep winning we will keep buying them. Aitch Two Oh was an athletic yearling and now she’s valuable with a pedigree.”
Pure Aqua (2f Headwater – Jester Jewel by Choisir) runs in the same colours with several of the same owners in Aitch Two Oh. She was bred by Leo To of Hall of Fame Bloodstock and changed hands privately after being withdrawn from the 2023 Inglis Classic Yearling Sale.
Her dam Jester Jewel is a full-sister to SA Breeders’ Stakes (Gr.3, 1200m) winner Rockshaft. The mare had been purchased by Hall Of Fame Bloodstock for $40,000 at the 2021 Inglis May Digital Sale.
Headwater (Exceed And Excel) has three fillies and a colt catalogued for the HTBA Yearling Sale at Riverside Stables next Sunday week, April 28. His filly from Run Sally Run (Lot 95) has received two recent updates in WA through the mare’s first and only other foal to race Petula (Nicconi). Trainer Simon Miller purchased Petula for $30,000 at 2021 Inglis Foal Sale for owner Ray Meadowcroft and she won the WA Breeders’ Classic (LR, 1200m) and TBWA Platinum Fillies & Mares Classic in February.
