The blueblood mare showed the potential many, including trainer Claire Anderton, knew she had when streeting her rivals before easing down to win the listed 1200m feature by a length and a-half for rider Brett Murray.
“I knew she was that good, but it was just a chance of letting her show it,” Anderton said.
“That is right up there — any win is a thrill. But to get a black-type win is just amazing.”
The victory ended a roller-coaster journey for Anderton and The Precious One’s owners, the Dennis Brothers, of Woodlands.
Just two starts ago, the daughter of Darci Brahma and former star mare The Jewel dropped out to run last in head-scratching performance at Cromwell.
Although Anderton has not been able to pinpoint the exact reason for that failure, she suspects applying blinkers to the mare was the main reason.
“I think it was a mix of things,” the trainer said.
“In hindsight I think it was partly my fault putting the blinkers on her; she switched off.
“So we gave her a nice run at Invercargill and got her confidence back.”
The Precious One’s Cromwell win came just two starts after she injured her fetlock when running around her paddock during a North Island campaign earlier this year.
Another joint injury ended the filly’s spring campaign as a 3yr-old after she made a sensational start to her career.
Murray gave The Precious One every opportunity to show her best in the Hazlett Stakes.
The Canterbury apprentice had the 5yr-old poised in the one-one throughout before letting her burst away from her opposition in the run home.
The win gave Murray his first listed or group race win in his second ride on The Precious One, after the pair produced a flashing finish for second in last year’s Hazlett Stakes.
“It is definitely the biggest thrill of my career, my first black-type win,” Murray said.
“She drew a good gate and she is that good she put herself in a good position and she probably just made me look good, to be honest.
“It was just good to see a good mare back to her best.”
A month ago, Murray looked in no state to be riding at yesterday’s meeting.
“I broke my collarbone six weeks ago in a race fall at Motukarara.
“I aimed to get back for this day and it has all paid off.”
Like the winner, runner-up Raise You Ten relished yesterday’s slow-rated track.
The Brian And Shane Anderton-trained galloper charged home late to run second when The Precious One had the race won.
Favourite Sensei went a big race to run third.
The Michael and Matthew Pitman-trained entire was forced to race wide and at the back of the field from his barrier 10 draw.
The 5yr-old ran home strongly on a track he was not suited to.
Earlier, Riverton galloper Tobilicious not only notched a hat-trick of wins but continued the brilliant form of trainers Kelvin and Aimee Tyler and rider Kozzi Asano.
The progressive grey produced the performance of the day when launching a stunning finish to win race 4, a rating 82 event over 1600m.
The grey galloper was more than 10 lengths off the leaders the leaders before the home turn.
After Asano balanced Tobilicious in the straight he let down with a storming finish that made his rivals look like they were going up and down on the same spot.
Kelvin Tyler said Tobilicious would be aimed at the White Robe Lodge Weight-For-Age at Wingatui.
