Smart mare La Passe scored back to back Group 2 wins by taking out the $200,000 Schweppes Tristarc Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield today and has earned a chance to tackle the Group 1 Myer Classic.
La Passe scores back to back wins Group 2 wins in the Tristrac Stakes at Caulfield. Photo by Ultimate Racing Photos.
The Darren Weir trained La Passe with Michelle Payne in the saddle won the Group 2 $200,000 Blazer Stakes (1400m) at Flemington on October 4 at the long odds of $41 and was sent out at double figure odds again.
La Passe had some some support in the betting ring and after opening up at $26 firmed into to start at $21 with Payne making it two wins from two rides on the Street Sense mare.
Even though La Passe was a last start winner, Weir and Payne decided to add the blinkers to her race day gear and the mare was able to keep her winning momentum going.
“She got a beautiful ride last start and she was in good form going into the race,” Weir said.
“She has ha d a couple of good weeks in, but we thought she probably needed to improve so I talked to Michelle and we went with the idea of putting blinkers on her and it was obviously a good move.”
“She got a beautiful ride today.”
Payne was able to settle La Passe off the pass and gain a passage up along the fence to grab the Gerald Ryan trained Solicit ($11) close to the line with Jessy Belle ($11) claiming third spot.
While La Passe is racing in wining form, Weir had no hesitation in naming the Group 1 $500,000 Myer Classic (1600m) at Flemington on October 31 in a fortnight as her next main mission.
“”You would certainly have to go and roll the dice,” Weir said.
“As long as she does well between now and then. It is pretty hard to get horses in that type of form with a Group 1 coming up in a couple of weeks, I am pretty sure she will be going there.”
La Passe was Weir’s third winner for the day after Mahuta won the Listed $120,000 Polytrack Gothic Stakes (1400m) and Stratum Star took out the Group 3 $150,000 David Jones Cup (2000m).
The Chris Waller trained Catkins was sent out the $4.20 favourite but after settling in sixth position in the run, failed to run on in the straight to finish in ninth position.
Tristarc Stakes Results
| Finish | No. | Horse | Trainer | Jockey | Margin | Bar. | Weight | Starting Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 8 | LA PASSE | Darren Weir | Ms Michelle Payne | – | 2 | 57.5kg | $21 |
| 2 | 4 | SOLICIT | Gerald Ryan | Brenton Avdulla | 0.2L | 11 | 57.5kg | $11 |
| 3 | 12 | JESSY BELLE | Luke Oliver | Damian Lane | 0.95L | 12 | 55kg | $11 |
| 4 | 9 | SLIGHTLY SWEET | Jason Coyle | Tommy Berry | 1.7L | 1 | 56.5kg | $13 |
| 5 | 13 | SCARLET BILLOWS | Darren Weir | Mark Zahra | 1.8L | 4 | 55kg | $19 |
| 6 | 5 | HAZARD | Lee & Anthony Freedman | James McDonald | 2L | 3 | 57.5kg | $7.50 |
| 7 | 10 | TYCOON TARA | Symon Wilde | Luke Currie | 2.1L | 7 | 56.5kg | $26 |
| 8 | 3 | GREGERS | David Hayes & Tom Dabernig | Craig Williams | 2.2L | 6 | 57.5kg | $7.50 |
| 9 | 2 | CATKINS | Chris Waller | Damien Oliver | 2.4L | 8 | 57.5kg | $4.20F |
| 10 | 6 | SABATINI | Lee & Shannon Hope | Kerrin McEvoy | 4.65L | 9 | 57.5kg | $6.50 |
| 11 | 1 | AMICUS | Chris Waller | Craig Newitt | 5.4L | 10 | 58.5kg | $18 |
| 12 | 11 | GIRL IN FLIGHT | Robbie Griffiths | Blake Shinn | 9.15L | 5 | 56.5kg | $41 |
