Lonhro's Little Sister To The Fore
- Thursday, 03 November 2011 08:16
Lonhro's little sister Shannara claimed the Darley team's third straight win in the Ladies Day Cup at Hawkesbury on Thursday, winning the Listed event in race record time.
The five-year-old mare's 2-/1-2-length victory over favourite Title in the 1300m event also brought up jockey Christian Reith's second straight success in the race after partnering the Peter Snowden-trained Kanzan to victory last year.
Group One winner Beaded claimed the race in 2009.
Reith also maintained a perfect winning record on Shannara having ridden the daughter of Octagonal to victory in the Listed Dark Jewel Classic (1400m) at Scone in May.
Shannara settled back in the field with Title taking up the running, but Reith was able to sneak up along the fence approaching the home turn to be on the favourite's back.
The split came at the top of the straight and Shannara pounced to win running away.
"Once Jeff Penza (on Brilliant Light) peeled off before the corner, I got in behind the favourite and I knew she was going to get home over the top of them," Reith said.
"This is the second year in a row I've won this race so it's good.
"I really like this mare. She's been very well placed and when she's ridden quiet she's got an explosive finish."
Meanwhile, apprentice Jake Noonan copped his second suspension in Sydney in the space of a week after pleading guilty to careless riding aboard the Snowden-trained Kawanishi in an earlier race.
Noonan will ride on Emirates Stakes day in Melbourne on Saturday before starting a suspension incurred at Rosehill last weekend.
His three-meeting suspension from Hawkesbury will follow on from that ban and he is free to return to the saddle on November 17.
