More Than Ready has unearthed another serious filly in New Zealand on the strength of Serious Satire’s first-up victory at Hastings on Saturday.
Trainer Stephen Marsh was blown away by the daughter of Vinery’s champion sire after she launched an explosive sprint to defeat Group 1 filly Battle Time in the Vermair Racing Hcp (1200m).
“Today was only supposed to be a pipe-opener,” Marsh said. “She’s still a bit soft and that was a good field. The wide draw was also a worry but she really got home.”
Serious Satire (3f More Than Ready – Zarzuela by Zabeel) was beaten a head at her only other start in the Insurance Pearl Series at Avondale in June. The G3 Hawke’s Bay Breeders’ Trail Stakes is her next assignment in the lead-up to the G1 New Zealand 1000 Guineas at Riccarton in November.
Marsh also mentioned a trip to Australia as a long-term goal for the autumn. “I don’t know how good this filly is and she will only get better over more ground. She could be the real deal.”
A beautiful-looking filly in the More Than Ready mould, Serious Satire is a homebred for Auckland based David Paykel. He raced her dam Zarzuela to victories in the G2 Waikato Guineas and G3 Great Northern Guineas and then retired her after a Group 1 placing (beaten a short-head and half-head) in the 2010 New Zealand Oaks.
More Than Ready begins covering his latest southern book at Vinery on Tuesday at a $66,000 (inc GST) service fee.
