A storming last to first finish carried Varda to her first Stakes success and lifted her standing in a highly successful family in Saturday’s Listed Chief De Beers Handicap at Doomben.
Jockey Kerrin McEvoy allowed the daughter of Lonhro to find her feet in the first half of the 1,110m race and the tactic paid dividends as she sailed down the outside to claim the lead inside the final 50m.
So rapidly did she overhaul the leaders that she extended the winning margin to three quarters of a length over Kylease who held second just ahead of Mishani Hustler.
A Godolphin homebred, Varda has proven herself something of a specialist over the distance of Saturday’s race, having won five times at 1,100m.
Varda is a daughter of the Stakes winner Wild Queen who is a half-sister to the G1 winner Kementari (Lohro) and the Listed winner Telperion (Street Cry). Wild Queen has also produced the city winner Valaquenta (Street Boss) from her six foals to race with the family also including the Stakes winners So Gorgeous and Cumbria.
Varda becomes the 91st Stakes winner for Lonhro who at the age of 22, is maintaining a winners-to-runners ratio of better than 70 per cent.
Lonhro will stand the coming southern hemisphere breeding season at Kelvinside, NSW, at a fee of $66,000, including GST.
