Overdue win for filly

Consensus was that Obsession's Listed Westbury Classic win at Ellerslie on Saturday was fitting.

The Bachelor Duke three-year-old filly recorded her third win from eight starts in taking out the $45,000 1400m contest against the older mares, courtesy of a polished ride from Michael Coleman, who took advantage of an economical trail behind leader Ruud Van Slaats.

In the straight, Obsession was able to outsprint Casabella Lane and Ruud Van Slaats to score by half a length and earn herself a start in the Gr I $200,000 New Zealand Bloodstock Breeders' Stakes (1600m) at Te Aroha on April 10.

The Frank Ritchie-trained Obsession's previous best black-type performances were fourth placings in both the Gr II Matamata Breeders' Stakes and the Gr III Desert Gold Stakes at Trentham and a fifth placing in the Gr I Manawatu Sires' Produce Stakes at Awapuni last season.

''She's run fourth and fifth placings in all those Group race only beaten small margins and I was beginning to think she'd never get one,'' Ritchie said.

Obsession had failed in the Gr II Sir Tristram Fillies Classic over 2000m at her previous start at Te Rapa and Ritchie admitted he was concerned she might not have the speed to get on the pace back to 1400m.

However, she began smartly and allayed those fears immediately.
Coleman said: ''She travelled nicely all the way and really kicked off the corner well.''

Rick Williams, racing manager for Queensland owner Dick Karreman, was delighted to see Obsession gain a stakes win.
''She's had a few muscle enzyme issues and tying up issues but she really deserves that,'' he said.

 Obsession's win was the forerunner for a memorable day for the Ritchie family with Shaune Ritchie later saddling $2.2 million New Zealand Derby winner Military Move.

- © Fairfax NZ News