Dwayne Dunn never had the chance to ride Miss Finland in a race but has an association with her daughter he hopes can turn into spring carnival success.
Dunn rode the David Hayes and Tom Dabernig-trained Stay With Me to a 4-1/2 length maiden win first-up at Pakenham last month at the filly’s third start and is aboard in Saturday’s Listed Atlantic Jewel Stakes (1200m) at Moonee Valley.
The promising Stay With Me is by Street Cry out of the former Hayes-trained star Miss Finland, winner of the 2006 Golden Slipper.
Miss Finland added four more Group One wins during her three-year-old season including the VRC Oaks, Thousand Guineas and Australian Guineas with Craig Williams her jockey.
“I never got to ride Miss Finland in a race but I had a lot to do with her at trackwork, and with galloping partners,” Dunn said.
“I rode Anamato a lot against her. I was always on the second stringer to Miss Finland.
“She was a top-class mare and hopefully her progeny can do the same.”
Stay With Me finished second to subsequent Group One winner Pasadena Girl in a stakes race on debut at Flemington in March before heading to Sydney where she finished fifth in the Reisling Stakes.
Pasadena Girl is the $4.40 favourite on Saturday with Stay With Me, who starts from the second widest barrier, at $5.
“She’s drawn very awkward but she galloped well at the Valley on Tuesday morning and I was impressed with her,” Dunn said.
“I think she’ll be a much better filly in the autumn than she will be in the spring, but she’s hopefully going to play a big part throughout the spring.”
The Thousand Guineas (1600m) on October 10 is among her spring targets. She is at $26 in early Thousand Guineas markets with Pasadena Girl and Alaskan Rose the $7 equal favourites.
