Quality mare Gai’s Choice confirmed her affinity for trainer David Pfieffer and earned a shot at Group One racing when she won the $100,000 Gai Waterhouse Classic at Ipswich on Saturday.
Gai’s Choice took her record to seven wins from 24 starts for prizemoney nearing $390,000 when she won the Listed feature and Pfieffer said the General Nediym mare was a likely starter in next week’s Group One Tattersall’s Tiara at Eagle Farm.
The race was marred by an incident in the home straight when Viva Las suffered a fatal heart attack and crashed through the outside running rail near the 100m.
Viva Las’ rider Larry Cassidy was unharmed and it was a minor miracle spectators escaped injury in the incident.
Gai’s Choice started her career in the care of David Payne before she was transferred to Pfieffer where she won three races.
The mare was then sent to Brett Partelle where she raced without success last preparation.
She was returned to Pfieffer at the start of this campaign and Saturday’s win was her third consecutive victory.
“She’s a high-quality mare and the way she won today we may have to give her a go at the Tatts Tiara next week,” Pfieffer said.
“When mares are in good form and keep winning you have to keep racing them and this mare has never raced or look better.”
Winning rider Jay Ford was forced to sit deep on Gai’s Choice, the $3.80 favourite, off an outside barrier but she dashed brilliantly in the straight to beat the gallant Mascareri ($10) by a half length with Miss Barwang ($26) a further 1-1/2 lengths away third.
Earlier, baby-faced apprentice Kirk Matheson achieved a significant career milestone when he won his first Saturday metropolitan race on Random Orbit in the $50,000 Queensland Time Provincial Cup (2150m).
Matheson, 19, is apprenticed on loan at Eagle Farm to Bradley Herne and the win capped a big week in his short career after he rode his first city winner at Doomben on Wednesday.
AAP TURF
