News

Nadeem Lass bursts through late to score at Valley

15th Jun 2013

Racenet - Brad Waters - Saturday, 15 June 2013

Honest filly Nadeem Lass was set to be a good thing beaten in the Saturday’s Boscastle Handicap (1200m) before her luck changed late in Moonee Valley contest.

Nadeem Lass was travelling well for jockey Michael Rodd but was held up rounding the home turn while her rivals gained momentum around her.

However, the filly was good enough to get herself moving when a gap appeared, bursting through late to beat the well-backed Bloomingdale Miss by a head.

"I was going nowhere coming to the turn and I just ran up backsides everywhere. I kept her balanced and kept her ready to go,” Rodd said.

"I didn’t check her or anything so when the gap opened, I’d had her ready to go and somehow the heavens opened for her.

"She just accelerated so quickly through there and that’s her asset, she’s got that good turn of foot.”

Nadeem Lass’s trainer Robbie Griffiths said he feared for his charge’s winning hopes early in the straight but was thrilled with the way she finished the $80,000 race.

"I was a bit worried at the 300 (metres) when there was a lot of zigging and zagging going on but, to his credit and the horse’s determination, it was a great result,” Griffiths said. "She’s got a great turn of speed.”

Griffiths said the stable had lowered their sights with Nadeem Lass after she missed out in harder races during the summer months.

"We aimed things a little bit higher last time in,” Griffiths said. "She nearly got black-type and we probably wasted a few runs being a bit ambitious.

"This time in, we thought we’d take our time and just enjoy her and earn as much money as we can while she’s got the VOBIS and everything and see if she can do something as a four-year-old.”

The John Moloney-trained Nella Fantasia was third in a bunched finish.

Nadeem Lass (pictured as yearling) was a $80,000 purchase by Griffith's Racing from the draft of Three Bridges Thoroughbreds at the 2011 Inglis Melbourne Premier Yearling Sale. Saturday's victory takes Nadeem Lass' earnings to $$132,895.