Horse Racing

The Tony Noonan-trained Ortensia claimed victory in Saturday?s $500 000 Group 2 Player-Winterbottom Stakes (1200m) at Ascot, giving the four-year-old her second Group 2 victory.

Ridden by in-form Melbourne jockey Craig Williams Ortensia, second favourite going into the race at $3.70, defeated the Jim Taylor-trained duo runner-up Idyllic Prince ($5) and third placegetter Black In Time ($15) in Perth?s premier sprint race.

The odds-on favourite at $3, following the scratching of Lucky Secret, David Harrison?s Waratah?s Secret could only manage to finish sixth.

Williams settled Ortensia towards the back of the field at the start while Waratah?s Secret and Ma Ma Machine lead early. Ortensia made her move on the straight, flying past the tiering leaders coming from the back of the field to claim an emphatic victory with stablemates Idyllic Prince and Black In Time hanging on gallantly to fill the placings.

The victory followed Ortensia?s poor run in the Group 1 Railway Stakes the previous week, where the Testa Rossa mare struggled over the 1600m coming in sixth to Sniper?s Bullet.

Ortensia other Group 2 success was in the QTC Cup (1300m) at Eagle Farm back in May. She now boasts eight wins from 16 starts earning over $940 000 in prizemoney.

Winterbottom Stakes Results:

Scratched:

LET GO THOMMO
LUCKY SECRET