Photo: Race Images
Such an understatement from rider Craig Grylls upon dismounting from Bonny Lass (Super Easy) following her strong win in Saturday's Foxbridge Plate (Gr 2, 1200m).
Grylls can take much of the credit for the win as he saved ground (and not in the best of the Heavy 9 track conditions) until the 600 metres then moved the mare away from the rail before they straightened. A huge gap appeared for her once they reached the 400-metre mark and Grylls kept pushing forward as well as wider for better footing and she shared the lead soon after.
Skew Wiff (Savabeel) maintained a strong challenge until short of the line but it was Mali Ston (El Roca) who put in the big strides to f inish second yet never looked like heading the winner, the margin three-quarters of a length. T he winning time was 1:14.01, indicating that it was a bit of a slog while underlining Bonny Lass's versatility. Her time when winning the BCD Sprint (Gr 1, 1400m) here at Te Rapa last February was a slashing 1:21.82.
Now a six-year-old, Bonny Lass landed her eighth win in a 21 start career which includes eight placings for earnings of NZ$745,900. More impressive is her stakes record. She has recorded a Group win every season; at two in the Matamata Breeders' Stakes (Gr 2, 1200m); at three in the Cambridge Breeders' Stakes (Gr 3, 1200m); at four in the Sweynesse Stakes (Gr 3, 1215m); the Group 1 BCD Sprint last season and now the time-honoured Foxbridge Plate.
Among her premier placings are a second in the 2024 Railway Stakes (Gr 1, 1200m) and a close third in the 2024 Telegraph Stakes (Gr 1, 1200m). Both placings took place leading up to her Group 1 success at Te Rapa last February.
Another Group 1 looks on the cards for her next start with connections looking likely to head for Hastings and the Tarzino Trophy (Gr 1, 1400m). The race distance and/or the state of the track will not be an issue. Added to those factors, form in the Foxbridge can carry over into the Tarzino. Last year the first two home in the Foxbridge were also the first two home in the Tarzino, albeit in the reverse order, when Skew Wiff defeated Dragon Leap (Pierro).
By the underrated Super Easy, the Singapore champion son of Darci Brahma (Danehill), Bonny Lass is an all-Hallmark Stud product. Super Easy stands there currently and so did Le Bec Fin (Tale Of The Cat), sire of Bonny Lass's dam, Posh Bec.
Bonny Lass is the third winner from five to race from Posh Bec. Her older brother won seven in Singapore. Posh Bec herself was a stakes-placed winner of three races and her half-brother, Time To Celebrate (Per Incanto), scored eight wins, four in New Zealand and four in Hong Kong where he recorded a second in the Premier Cup (Gr 3, 1400m) at Sha Tin.
Posh Bec's granddam Uhmlanga Rocks (Centaine) is a half-sister to two stakes winners including Hawkes Bay Gold Cup (Gr 2, 2200m) winner King Of Ashford (His Royal Highness), one of his four stakes wins and one of 13 victories in New Zealand and Melbourne.
