Stakes-placed Welsh Legend has held on to beat the fast-finishing Laure Me In to claim an overdue victory at Rosehill.
The Chris Waller-trained mare’s only previous win was in a Canterbury maiden in November 2018 but she had recorded five seconds and two thirds in 13 subsequent starts before breaking through in Saturday’s the Kakoda Benchmark 78 Handicap (2000m).
With Brenton Avdulla aboard, Welsh Legend enjoyed a nice run just behind the lead before taking over approaching the home turn.
Welsh Legend, the $5.50 favourite, was full of running entering the home straight and it proved a winning break.
Laure Me In ($6.50) charged late but was denied by a short half-head with Welsh Legend’s stablemate Yonkers battling on for third, another 1-1/2-lengths away.
“Brenton (Avdulla) didn’t muck around, he got going when he needed to and pinched a winning break as it worked out,” Waller said.
“I think it is just reward for a horse that has been racing consistently well.”
Welsh Legend’s placings include a third at Group Two level in The Roses in Brisbane last year.
Avdulla said he was happy he was able to pinch a break on his rivals rounding the home turn.
“I didn’t want to get into a dog fight because she has seemed to come off the wrong end a couple of times,” Avdulla said.
“I was just trying to let her find her confidence and when I went for home I never felt like I was going to get run down, until late. But she was good enough to get the job done.”
