More Than Ready mare Serious Satire may be set for the G1 Thorndon Mile after making a welcome return to form at Ellerslie on Sunday.
Regular rider Danielle Johnson sent Serious Satire from the back-half of the field with a potent finishing burst to win the Woods Stakes (1200m) by a head. It was her first success since the G3 Gold Trail Stakes at Hastings in October 2015.
“I’m really relieved and just so stoked to see her win again,” trainer Stephen Marsh said. “She’s very good, but she’s had a lot of problems.
“She had been doing well although I was a bit nervous and just hoped she would show her real ability. The Thorndon is a possibility but, to be honest, I haven’t really thought much further ahead than today.”
The Group 1 Thorndon Mile will be run at Trentham on January 28.
Serious Satire is beautiful-looking mare with a striking white blaze that’s typical of More Than Ready. She’s a homebred for David Paykel from his G2 Great Northern Guineas winner Zarzuela (Zabeel).
