Australian mare Ortensia has staged a remarkable late run to win the Group One Nunthorpe Stakes at York.
Ortensia has taken some time to deliver in England, disappointing on her British debut in the King’s Stand Stakes at Royal Ascot where compatriot Black Caviar maintained her unbeaten record in the Diamond Jubilee Stakes.
It took a couple of races for Ortensia to find her stride but after struggling on heavy going in the July Cup at Newmarket, she came good in the Group Two King George Stakes at Glorious Goodwood.
The icing on the cake came in the Nunthorpe (1006m) at York, where she came from a long way behind to snatch a Group One under the nose of Spirit Quartz who she had also beaten into second place at Goodwood.
The Paul Messara-trained seven-year-old was almost last and at least 10 lengths behind at the halfway mark.
However, William Buick kept his cool as he pushed her up the far side of the track and the well-backed 7-2 joint-favourite collared Spirit Quartz in the shadow of the post to win by a neck.
Ortensia started her international campaign with victory in the Al Quoz Sprint in Dubai in March.
The decision to keep her in Britain for the rest of the summer has paid handsome dividends and she could even stay for the Sprint Cup at Haydock on September 8.
“It’s fabulous. It’s the most amazing feeling. To win a big one over here is a huge thrill,” Messara said.
“I couldn’t believe it yesterday when it poured down. I thought we were coming here with no chance.
“I walked the track this morning and remained pessimistic. I thought it would be too soft for her.
“She needs top of the ground as she has tremendous acceleration. I just thought it was too soft for her to show her acceleration.
“I’ve made three trips from home and every time it has rained while I’ve been here.
“At one stage I thought we should have stayed at home, but we’ve stuck it out and she’ll probably go to Haydock as long as she comes out of the race fine.
“After that she’ll probably go back to Australia and we might bring her back to Europe next year. It’s possible we might come back but she’s a seven-year-old mare. You can’t go on forever.
“If she can keep this going, we’ll keep her going.
Buick said he was amazed by the performance.
“It’s fantastic,” he said. “I don’t know how she won, to be honest.
“They went very fast and I was a long way back, but I could hold a straight course the whole way and she’s so much better when she doesn’t have to be switched in or out.
“You could see the way she finished the race she’s got so much speed and I think if she steps back up to six (furlongs, 1200m)) again, she’ll be very hard to beat.
“I don’t think I’ve been quicker in a race before and they just got her off the bridle, but when she gets to the furlong and a half marker, she hits that sixth gear and picks up well.
“The ground is a little bit loose, so that probably didn’t help her early on – we were kind of wheel-spinning a bit.
“She showed at Goodwood what she can do to these sprinters and she showed today she’s superior to the sprinters over here.”
