Site crafted and built by Kick Collective
Mamwaazel caught Peace Force on the line to record a narrow win in a thrilling edition of the 2015 Belle Of The Turf Stakes at Gosford this afternoon.
Mamwaazel and Peace Force were clashing for the third time in as many starts after Peace Force defeated Mamwaazel to take out both the ATC Autumn Hospitality Handicap (1400m) at Royal Randwick on December 13 and the Irresistible Pools And Spas Handicap (1500m) at Canterbury on December 21, but this time the Chris Waller-trained mare was able to get her nose in front of her rival.
Peace Force jumped only fairly from the gates and took a bit of riding to take up a position in fourth before she eventually settled in second just behind the leader Sunday Too Far, while Mamwaazel received lovely trail on the rail.
Brenton Avdulla was patient on Peace Force and did not ask the Bernardini mare for an extra effort until the 250 metre mark when she took up the running and looked like the winner, but Glyn Schofield timed his run on Mamwaazel to the second and the Exceed And Excel mare got her nose in front in the shadows of the post in the Belle Of The Turf Stakes.
Schofield said after the race that he was happy to position Mamwaazel behind the leaders in the early stages of the race and he believes the fact that the talented mare was well wide of Peace Force in the straight helped her finish over the top of her rival.
“I probably wasn’t going quick enough to clear Brenton (Avdulla) and I was aware that he was there, so I just had to give him a bit of room because I didn’t want to drive the ears off her just for the sake of being there,” Schofield said.
“I got into a nice spot fortunately and we came around the corner a little wide, I really didn’t want to eyeball Peace Force because she is a real fighter.
“Fortunately my filly didn’t corner so well, so I got a little bit further away from her in the straight and I think I caught her a little bit blindsided.
“She got a bit of a margin and just held on.”
The Belle Of The Turf Stakes victory was Mamwaazel’s first black type win in what was her first start at stakes level since she finished eighth behind Tweet in the 2013 edition of the Listed Woodlands Stakes (1100m) at Scone on May 18.
Source: horseracing.com.au