The John and Karen Parsons-trained filly needed to be good to win the 1200m listed feature racing fresh-up on a heavy Riccarton surface — and she was exactly that.
Rider Chris Johnson plotted a wide course on the Squoamosa filly before letting her down in the straight to wear down the pace-making Hot Fuss.
A rain-plagued start to the South Island racing circuit meant Kiwi Idea had tough it out on the heavy Riccarton going or risk getting behind her rivals in her 1000 Guineas preparation.
"It’s not ideal for a 3yr-old to kick off on a heavy track, but John said we had to get her going," Karen Parsons said.
Bookies moved Kiwi Ida into a $14 quote for the 1000 Guineas, making her the South’s second-leading fancy behind The Precious One.
Further north, Dijon Bleu showed her trainer, Lisa Latta, that the 1600m of the 1000 Guineas was within her reach with her win in the group 3 Gold Trail Stakes at Hastings.
Latta had concerns her filly was a 1200m specialist, but Dijon Bleu’s tractable effort to settle in a midfield position for rider Vinnie Colgan before finishing powerfully to win gave the trainer confidence her charge could over more ground.
"I was a bit worried that she was only going to be a 1200m filly, but the way she settled today she looks like she will go over a bit of ground," she said.
Dijon Bleu’s win resulted in her moving into $8 second favouritism for the 1000 Guineas, behind Prom Queen, who is at $6.
Last season’s 1000 Guineas winner, La Diosa, was a scratching in Riccarton open 1200m on Saturday, delaying her 4yr-old return.
Instead, the race featured daring tactics from apprentice rider Tanya Jonker on Maybe Miami pay off.
Jonker’s move — to hug the running rail on the Kevin and Pam Hughes trained sprinter while other riders scouted toward the outside rail — proved a winning one as the her charge ran out a three-length winner.
- Jonny Turner
