Well-bred mare Anatola has lived up to her favouritism and more, setting a Randwick 1200m-record to confirm a trip to Queensland for better races.
Trained by Mark Newnham, Anatola ($4.80) was parked outside the leader Handfast with Josh Parr urging her to the front at the 250m-mark with the mare beating Test The World ($5) by 2-1/2 lengths in 1:08.03s to win the benchmark 85 handicap.
The previous standard was 1:08.06 set in August last year by Deploy, who was also ridden by Parr.
“That’s why I put him on. I just tell him to go fast,” Newnham said.
“The conditions suited her today. The 1200 is the right distance and she is a good mare full stop.
“The Silk Stocking is on at the Gold Coast in two weeks and that looks like a nice race for her to get some black-type.”
Raced by her breeder George Altomonte, Anatola is by More Than Ready out of Wager, who was runner-up in three Group One races as a two-year-old.
“This will probably be her last season of racing and like all breeders I of course want to get black-type for her,” Altomonte said.
“She is extremely well-bred on her dam’s side.”
Newnham said Queensland would be ideal for Anatola who is adept on both dry and wet ground.
