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Electric Elle

| August 26, 2013
Exciting win to the popular mare Elite Elle at Moonee Valley

Exciting win to the popular mare Elite Elle at Moonee Valley

Shamardal mare Elite Elle electrified the Moonee Valley circuit under Craig Williams in the $80000 Dr. Sheahan Open Plate (1200m) on Saturday.

Justifying her $4.20 favouritism, Elite Elle streaked away to win by two lengths from Sensational Report ($101) with Twilighting ($19) a half-head away third.

Trainer Tony Vasil’s decision to opt for the experience of leading jockey Craig Williams over a claiming apprentice paid dividends.

“The temptation was to claim but with the option of putting Craig Williams on, I just thought sometimes taking three (kilograms) off is like putting three on,” Vasil said.

“And I just knew he (Williams) was going to ride her well.”

Vasil has no concrete plans for the stakes winner but said if she gets a wet track she can improve even more.

“We’ll just keep poking along with her,” he said.

He has sent Elite Elle to trainer Peter Morgan’s Whittlesea property for rest and recreation three times in her career and she bounces back beautifully.

“If you keep backing off before you bottom them, they keep up for a long time,” he said.

The Tony Vasil-trained mare was given a let-up following her previous outing in the Bletchingly Stakes where she uncharacteristically missed the start and finished seventh.

Dropping back in grade, Elite Elle wasted no time making her presence felt as she took up the lead.

As rivals were under pressure behind her, Elite Elle quickly put a margin on the field once straightening and held it to the line, winning in a time of 1.10.87 on the Dead 4 track.

Sensational Report surprised everyone in finishing a two length second with the resuming Twilighting third. All eyes were on Elite Elle though as she claimed her third win of a prolonged campaign.

“She stepped away okay, but he gave her a squeeze and she sped up inside that horse that eventually raced a half length behind her,” Vasil said.

“Once she came around the corner and skipped, she put the game away.”

Vasil attributes Elite Elle’s success over what has been an elongated preparation to her short stints at Peter Morgan’s Whittlesea property between runs.

“I’ve had three situations I think now where I send her back to Peter Morgan’s,” Vasil said.

“Morgs does a terrific job with her. She goes on the water treadmill for a few weeks and bounces back again.

“If you keep backing off before you bottom them they keep up for a long time.”

Today’s Dr. Sheahan Plate (1200m) at Moonee Valley was Elite Elle’s seventh career win from just 16 starts. The Shamardal mare has accumulated an additional four minor placings and now possesses prizemoney earnings of almost $400,000.

“She is a terrific horse,” Vasil said.

“She is a stakes-winner, she is placed at weight-for-age, she is a multiple city winner, she is going to be a great little broodmare, she is relatively sound and when she gets a wet track she improves 100 yards.”

Craig Williams was full of praise for the honest mare, who he last partnered last spring when fourth in the Thoroughbred Club Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield.

“Full credit has to go to Tony [Vasil] and his stable,” Williams said.

“She has only ever had two preparations.

“This is her ninth run in her second ever preparation.

“She is a real good, hardy horse.

“She really took control of the race, she had to be really tough and she was.”

 

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