Photo: Bruno Cannatelli
Five-year-old mare She’s A Hustler (Ace High) continues to meet every challenge, defeating more seasoned rivals at weight-for-age in the Gr.2 Zipping Classic (2400m) at Caulfield on Saturday.
The Grahame Begg-trained mare dug deep under regular rider Jordan Childs to defeat this year’s Gr.1 Australian Cup (2000m) winner Light Infantry Man as she emphatically ticked the mile and a half box.
The New Zealand import has never finished out of the top two in 11 career starts, with seven victories to her name to go with four runner-up finishes and A$842,456 in prizemoney.
“She toughed it out,” Begg said. “She came under pressure early. She’s still learning her craft. She doesn’t know what she’s doing in a race. They came up around her in a bit of a wave. The pressure went on, but she sustained that and was still strong late.
“Something similar happened in the Tesio Stakes. They came up around her and she was under pressure early, at the 600m and she was able sustain that and be strong late. It was a similar scenario today. Full credit to her at weight-for-age. She wasn’t well-weighted under the conditions of the race, but you know what, she’s a winner.”
Begg said the Gr.1 Caulfield Cup (2400m) could be on the radar next spring after winning over the course and distance.
“You have to have those ambitions. She’s a beauty, a winning machine. She’s never finished further back than second in 11 starts, seven wins. How good’s that,” he said.
“We may go to Brisbane for one or two runs up there in the winter, something like the Q22 (Gr.2, 2200m) and then back down here to Melbourne. The Q22 is a great race and it sets them up for the spring.”
Begg was full of praise for Childs who has really clicked with the mare.
“He knows how to ride my horses. He’s got a good understanding and we work well together. To be truthful, he wasn’t going to be riding this week because he injured his wrist earlier in the week. His wrist settled down and he was able to take his rides,” Begg said.
It was the first Group Two victory for She’s A Hustler who had previously won the Gr.3 Tesio Stakes (2040m) at The Valley on Cox Plate day. She then finished second in the Gr.2 Matriarch Stakes (2000m) on the final day of the Flemington Carnival
By Rich Hill Stud stallion Ace High, She’s A Hustler was a $70,000 purchase by Phill Cataldo at the Karaka Book 1 Yearling Sale in 2022 from the Rich Hill draft. She’s A Hustler is out of Snow Petal, a winning daughter of Group One winning mare Zirna.
She’s A Hustler placed on debut for Roger James and Robert Wellwood in a 1400m maiden at Matamata behind subsequent Group Two winner Sterling Express before her sale across the Tasman.
