Nakaaya landed a surprise win and survived a protest when she edged out the favourite Lady Lynette in a desperate finish in the Sunline Stakes.
Sent out at $11, the Mick Price-trained Nakaaya, ridden by Craig Newitt, lasted by a nose from the desperately unlucky Lady Lynette ($4.60 fav) in the Group Two mares weight-for-age race under lights at Moonee Valley.
Platinum Passion ($8.50) was a short-head away third.
Michael Guthrie, rider of Lady Lynette, fired in an objection against the winner alleging interference at the 1200m and in the last 100m of the 1600m event.
Tasmanian-based Guthrie told stewards his mount hit the running rail as a result of the interference and that Newitt had hit Lady Lynette over the nose with his whip four times.
However stewards dismissed the objection.
Price said Nakaaya was getting ready for the Group Two Queen Of The South Stakes (1600m) at Morphettville on April 16 and would probably still contest that race, although he could also check other options in Sydney.
“The idea was to win a Group race, but this was just a run on the way through to South Australia. But it’s a $200,000 Group race for mares and I could not be happier,” he said.
Newitt said he was confident Nakaaya would run in the top three or four.
“But it was just whether the older mares had the wood on her,” he said.
“She travelled really good. She just lost the bridle a little bit before the corner, but when I gave her a squeeze she really accelerated good and sustained it to the line.
AAP TURF
