A long-range plan by Darren Weir has had its reward with Parthesia taking out the Bagot Handicap at Flemington.
The mare stormed home from the rear to of the field to claim a strong win in Monday’s Listed staying feature.
Ridden by Damian Lane, Parthesia ($7.50) scored a widening 1-3/4 length win over the $3.70 favourite Etah James with Ormito ($10) a length away third.
With Weir attending the annual Burrumbeet country meeting on Monday, owner John Richards said the mare had been specifically set for the time-honoured 2800m-contest.
“Darren’s been working on this for I don’t know how many months and he’s got a wonderful record of winning races that he targets,” Richards said.
Parthesia finished second to Bagot Handicap fourth placegetter Dornier ($31) in the VRC St Leger over Monday’s course and distance in April before running second in the Group Three South Australian Classic at Morphettville in May.
She returned to racing at Moonee Valley in November and as part of her fitness regime Weir raced the mare in country Cups, which included a last-start fourth in the Penshurst Cup on Boxing Day.
Richards said Parthesia, who won last year’s Tasmanian Oaks, could return for the Launceston Cup but he would leave that to Weir.
Lane said the race unfolded perfectly for Parthesia as there was a good steady speed throughout the race.
“I bided my time in the straight and when I got there she wandered a little bit as she hasn’t been here for a while, but to her credit she was strong to the line,” Lane said.
“She almost won a St Leger in the winter and she’ll keep racing well.
“There’s more races for her around this sort of trip.”
