Well Written is still unbeaten.
With her Boxing Day success, the star three-year-old filly has now added the Gr 2 Jimmy Schick Shaw’s Auckland Guineas to her resume which includes that career shaping hot streak of form which carried her from her Maiden win, through her success the Group 2 Soliloquy Stakes and on to that resounding romp in the Group 1 New Zealand 1000 Guineas … an astounding three race form blitz from Maiden company to Group 1 stardom in just forty-nine days.
From that New Zealand 1000 Guineas result to her Boxing Day win, Well Written was given forty-eight days away race action … just one day less than the previous period in which she had won three races, and so she came into the Auckland Guineas first-up over 1400m … she had started out over 1200m on debut … and, in spite of the pre-race hype that suggested Well Written had the race at her mercy, trainer Steven Marsh recognised the fact that, given her level of fitness and the quality of the opposition, Well Written could well be vulnerable in the closing stages if the race was not run to order.
“I’ve never felt like that before a race for a long time,” admitted Marsh. “I’ve been sick all week about it … we hadn’t got her fully tuned up. She doesn’t do a lot in her work, so she is hard to get a line on.
“I knew she could be vulnerable, but we didn’t want to be coming here and getting her beaten.
“I told Matt (Cartwright) just to nurse her till the last … to not go too early and to ride her with patience. He did just that. I thought Matt did a great job,” continued Marsh.
“I’m very proud of her. It was a great race and two top three-year-olds fought it out.
“It looked a little bit hairy for a bit, but I knew she would stretch her neck late. You could see her really find. She knew where the line is.
“I certainly felt a bit of pressure today … but I’m relieved now. It makes it all worthwhile.
“I could feel it. I had to go and compose myself a little bit afterwards … didn’t want to have a tear in my eye, but I’ve held it together well.”
That’s what the win meant to Marsh and what it meant to keep the chestnut’s perfect record intact.
That’s four from four now.
Well Written is now expected to tackle the Karaka Millions next on January 24, before going on to The Kiwi, a NZ$4 million slot race on March 7, for which she has already secured her place in the lineup.
