Winner: Valentine Miss (Danetime-Torolosa)
Race: MRC How Now Stakes G3 (1200m)
Sold for: $12,000
Sale: 2007 Magic Millions Perth Yearling Sale:
Vendor: Evergreen Lodge (As Agent)
Buyer: Shane Edwards
Owner: Ms N Banovic-Edwards
Earnings: $355,140
Trainer: Mark Kavanagh (Flemington)
Valentine Miss relived fond childhood memories for top trainer Mark Kavanagh when she scored a breakthrough win in the $125,750 How Now Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield today.
In powering home to nab the Tasmanian Yearling Sale graduate I’m a Hussy, Valentine Miss was able to notch her maiden group race win – sending her future broodmare value soaring.
Well backed with on and off course punters, the quality mare relished being back on top of the ground and her finishing burst over the final 200 metres was highly impressive.
At her most recent run, when first up from a spell, she failed to handle a badly rain affected track.
“She was in the right place and she knows where the post is,” Kavanagh said. “She’s a courageous sort of horse.”
“She doesn’t like the wet tracks – she probably hadn’t seen one coming from Perth. She looks like having a nice future.”
Connections are still to decide as to where the five-year-old will race next – or whether she will stick to 1200 metres or step up to a mile.
“There’s the Tristarc in a couple of weeks,” the Melbourne Cup winning trainer said.
“I’ve only ever had her at 1200 the whole way through and I’ve been really happy to do that.”
“David and Nada, the owners, think she might be able to run a mile – so we might step her up.”
“We’ll just wait and see how she does. There’s plenty of time (to decide).”
“There’s plenty of races around for her – so we’ll check our options. Keep her happy and gt her in the right races.”
The mare, a daughter of Danetime, is raced by Nada Banovic-Edwards – wife of former top Perth trainer Dave Edwards.
Their son Shane, a current trainer in Perth, purchased Valentine Miss for just $12,000 from the 2007 Magic Millions Perth Yearling Sale.
She kicked away her career with Shane and won three races in Perth and scored valuable black typ with a second in the listed Burgess Queen Stakes. She was also fifth in a Group Two WA Guineas.
The decision to send the mare to Melbourne and Mark Kavanagh has proven to be a masterstroke.
Since arriving in Melbourne last year she has raced on seven occasions for three wins and two second placings – as well a fourth in the Group One Robert Sangster Stakes.
Following today’s valuable group win Kavanagh recalled at first meeting Dave Edwards “many years ago.”
“I remember he was in Adelaide worked for Bart (Cummings) and he used to strap Light Fingers and he used to leg me up and lead me around the streets of Morphettville.”
“They were good times – I felt so good when I was on her back!”
Valentine Miss, a graduate of Evergreen Lodge, is one of two winners produced by the group placed Housebuster mare Torolosa.
She in turn is from the stakes winning One Pound Sterling mare Yuleda – making Torolosa a half sister to the Andrew Ramsden Stakes winner New Kid in Town.
Valentine Miss has earned over $355,000 – not bad for a $12,000 purchase. That’s value with a capital V.
