Norzita has given Bart Cummings his 266th Group One win in the Vinery Stud Stakes at Rosehill in the absence of her famous trainer.
The 85-year-old stayed away, deciding not to brave the wet conditions on Saturday, leaving his grandson and foreman James to bask in the glory.
Norzita gave Cummings Group One win No.265 in the Flight Stakes in the spring and the Vinery Stud was her first attempt at 2000 metres.
After slogging it out over the final stages with Longport ($26), the $3 favourite prevailed by a long neck with New Zealand Derby winner Habibi ($4.60) making ground late another 2-3/4 lengths away.
The race’s registered name is the Storm Queen Stakes, appropriately named after the 1966 Golden Slipper winner, the first of Cummings’ four.
Although she handled the distance, James Cummings was adamant the filly would now go back to the 1600 metres of the Doncaster Mile in two weeks.
“She stood up here and got the job done,” Cummings said.
“She was dominant enough but she will go to the Doncaster not the Oaks.
“She had to do it the tough way and is the toughest filly I’ve ever had anything to do with.”
Hugh Bowman has had two rides on Norzita for two Group One wins and would much rather she went to the Oaks (2400m) with the jockey no hope of getting to her Doncaster weight.
But he was resigned to the fact the Oaks was out of play.
“If she went to the Oaks she would win that,” he said.
“I’ve had two rides on her for two Group One wins.
“She idled a bit when she got to the front but was a class above.”
Trainer John Thompson was justifiably proud of the runner-up after what has been a tough week for the stable with the news embattled businessman Nathan Tinkler is to sell his Patinack Farm operation.
“It’s been a tough week and it nearly made it a bit better,” Thompson said.
“That’s racing. We can’t help the boss’s situation. We’re just doing our best.
“It’s a day by day thing. It’s very uncertain times for me and the staff. We just cross our fingers and hope.”
Thompson said Longport had problems after her unplaced run in the Keith Nolan at Kembla Grange last month and would head to the Australian Oaks (2400m) on April 27 where she will meet Habibi who pleased trainer Donna Logan at her first start for five weeks.
“She was a little underdone and didn’t look that comfortable in the ground,” Logan said.
“I’m rapt with that from an Oaks point of view.
“She had to go in a bit pretty to be right for the 2400 metres in three weeks.”
