22 April 2010
Talented Align mare Pennacchio earned a trip to the lucrative Brisbane winter carnival with her fine fresh-up victory in the VRC Trophy Open Handicap (1200m) at Ellerslie on Saturday.
Matamata trainer Andrew Scott confirmed the Brisbane winter racing plans for Pennacchio after the five-year-old mare’s half-length win in what was her first race-day outing since November 3.
“She will be on the first available plane flight to Brisbane in May,” Scott said.
Pennacchio will make her Queensland winter carnival debut in the Gr. 3 fillies and mares 1300m feature at Doomben on May 22.
“It will be a nice race for her to kick off in as she will get no weight. The aim is for her to pick up some black type during her time in Brisbane,” Scott said.
Scott was full of praise for Pennacchio’s latest stylish victory at Ellerslie which represented her fifth win from her last eight outings. In fact she has not finished further back than third in her past eight starts.
“She has always looked above average and has got better with maturity,” he said.
“She grows another leg when there is some cut in the ground but she showed at Ellerslie on Saturday that she is also effective on top of the ground,” Scott said.
Scott said Pennacchio’s latest triumph was one of her most emphatic successes.
“When she made her run she picked them up very quickly and dealt to them,” Scott said.
Pennacchio will be ridden in Brisbane by Chris Munce. “The O’Sullivan stable has enjoyed plenty of success in the past with Munce with the combination having won the Queensland Oaks with Vouvray,” Scott said.
Another target for Pennacchio later on at the Queensland carnival will be the Glasshouse Stakes at the Caloundra meeting in June.
