Group 1 Melbourne Cup winning trainer Danny O’Brien really likes his mare PARADEE (Epaulette-Icy Heels) and when you look at her racing efforts over the past say 8 days, there is no wonder why.
Last Saturday she surged home to narrowly win the 1800m Magic Millions Open Hcp worth $250,000 race beating Frosty Rocks and Wapiti.
She went up 4kg for today’s race but she didn’t care.
She won this 1800m race worth another $250,000 even easier and prompted O’Brien to say she is headed to Black Type races in the autumn.
“I just did the maths,” said a smiling O’Brien. “She has won just under half a million dollars since we came up to Qld. She is thriving and getting better as she showed today.”
On the same card at the Gold Coast today was a 2400m race and O’Brien was tempted to run her in that.
“I’m going to set her for that trip next campaign and I just didn’t want to give up the chance in this race to experiment over 2400m when I will be doing that anyway in the autumn.
“But, she is a good mare and her confidence is right up now.”
She has now won five races from 14 starts and $745,000.
She sat behind arch rival Frosty Rocks today until they turned then she belied the 4kg weight turn around from last week to dash away from him and win as she liked by nearly 3 lengths, ears pricked and easing down.
Champion Victorian rider Craig Williams rode her. She beat SO DAPPER (So You think-Soiree Girl) and WAPITI (Love Conquers All-Lucky Dubai) who got up in the last bound to nudge Frosty Rocks out of a place.
Paradee cost $240,000 as a yearling.
