News

Stakes ambitions for Tawteen

13th Aug 2014

Tawteen - Adrian Dunn - Wednesday, 13 August 2014

David Hayes and Tom Dabernig’s decision to lower the bar for Tawteen’s first-up run was rewarded when the filly won Wednesday's Carlton Amber Jubilee Handicap at Bendigo.

Tawteen had been entered for Saturday’s Group 3 Quezette Stakes, but the co-trainers decided instead to run the filly, resuming from a five-month spell, in a fillies-and-mares Benchmark 70 race.

While Tawteen had to take on the mares it mattered little as she sped to the front and was never headed.

Dabernig said it had always been the thinking that Tawteen, a daughter of Stratum, would furnish into a stakes-quality three-year-old.

Tawteen, a $260,000 yearling, holds an entry to the Group 1 Thousand Guineas (1600m) on the first day of the Melbourne Racing Club spring carnival.

“She was just a little delicate as a two-year-old and hopefully her constitution has improved as a three-year-old,” Dabernig said.

“We think she’s at least a listed class filly.”

Tawteen, $4.40, held off the surging Antarctic Missile, $11, to win by a head with Diamond Glow, $8, one length away third.

Soosa Rama, the $3.30 favorite, never threatened in finishing seventh, beaten 2½ lengths.

Stephen Baster described Tawteen as a “lovely filly” who had been working well coming into the race.

“I still think there’s improvement in her, I think she can go on from here,” Baster said.