New Zealand filly wins Redwood Classic

The standing start tapes held no fears for New Zealand harness racing filly High Step (Father Patrick) who emulated the deeds of her mother by taking out the Redwood Classic at Maryborough.

Having her first try behind the tapes in race conditions, High Step ($2 fav) stepped both cleanly and swiftly to easily find the lead and from then on the result was never in doubt.

When Greg Sugars allowed the daughter of Father Patrick more rein on the home turn she bounded away in the home stretch holding an eight metre margin on the line from Nordic Reign with Link In Bio two metres away third.

It is the second successive mother daughter Redwood Classic victories.

High Gait, the dam of High Step, was crowned the Redwood Classic champion in 2015 and Elusive Charm, the dam of last year’s winner Cognati, took out the race in 2009.

Sugars said High Step possesses the enviable assets of both manners and ability.

“The Redwood is usually won by the horse with the best manners and the most talent and this year I was pretty confident that I had the horse with both,” Sugars said.

High Step was forced to lower her colors at her previous start when runner up behind Kyvalley Maven in the Tatlow Stakes

‘When we came away and analysed it we certainly weren’t disappointed with run behind a pretty smart trotter,” he said.

Bred by Breckon Farms and trained by Mark and Nathan Purdon, High Step is booked on a flight to return home to New Zealand on Tuesday.

For complete race results, click here.

by John Dunne, for Harnesslink