Honest mare Mabel Grace has been retired after shouldering 62kg to win the LR Matchmaker Classic (1400m) at Ascot.
Mabel Grace (6m Kendel Star – Belle Heed by Serheed) was giving front-runner Red Hot Sax 8kg but ran her down to score by a half-length. “It’s great to see her going out on a winning note,” trainer Adam Durrant said. “The massive weights, more than anything else, is why we’ve sent her to stud.
“She’s a quiet mare around the stable and easy to train. She can go to the paddock now and get racing out of her system before visiting Blackfriars.”
Mabel Grace won a second free service to Blackfriars on Saturday. She had already earned a complimentary cover to the Sunspeed champion after finishing second in the 2011 Matchmaker Classic.
The mare bows out with 10 wins and over $550,000 in prizemoney for a syndicate managed by David Elsegood. Apart from the Matchmaker, her other Listed wins were in the York Stakes, Jungle Dawn Classic, La Trice Classic and Miss Andretti Stakes.
Her sire Kendel Star (Kenmare) is based at Rivercrest Stud in Myalup. Studmaster Steve Hoare stood him in association with owner Greg Maclou for a $5,500 (inc gst) service fee last year.
– Karl Patterson