Quilista has opened her Sydney autumn campaign in style by securing coveted black-type in the Group Three Birthday Card Stakes at Rosehill.
Perth trainer Justin Warwick transferred the four-year-old to Darren Weir with the goal of boosting her potential as a broodmare and Victoria’s leading trainer delivered to cap a successful Golden Slipper day.
“Justin still owns her. He sent her over to hopefully better her career and win a Group One race and she’s on the right track,” Weir’s stable representative Jarrod McLean said.
Quilista ($4.20) set the early tempo in the 1200m journey and wore down her rivals before she hit the line 1-1/4 lengths clear of $3.10 favourite Sugar Bella.
Hetty Heights ($31) was 2-1/2 lengths back in third.
McLean said Weir would now pick out another Sydney target for Quilista, who has also won a Listed race in Western Australia.
Tommy Berry, who returned from Hong Kong for the meeting, finished on a high with his only success from a book of seven rides.
“It feels like she’s going slower than she is. She sustained her run right to the line, as a lot of Darren’s horses do,” Berry said.
Quilista followed Master Of Arts and Gailo Chop – Weir’s first Sydney Group One triumph – into the winners’ stall after they won the Group Three Manion Cup and Ranvet Stakes respectively.
