James and Wellwood quinella Desert Gold Stakes

[Wandering Eyes]

Cambridge trainers Roger James and Robert Wellwood sent a pair of up-and-coming three-year-old fillies to Trentham on Saturday for the time-honoured Gr.3 NZB Desert Gold Stakes (1600m) and received the perfect return when they formed the quinella in the event after a thrilling home straight battle.

Stablemates Fairy Dream (NZ) (Proisir) and Waimea Bay (NZ) (Savabeel) were having just their third and second career starts respectively in the seventh event of the prestigious NZB Filly of the Year Series, however, the pair belied their lack of raceday experience as they fought out a titanic struggle, with Fairy Dream coming out on top at the winning post by a short head.

Wellwood was thrilled by the performance of the stablemates, especially the winner who he had feared may not be at her best on the Soft6 track surface.

“She (Fairy Dream) had a little bit of a traffic issue and didn’t get out until late, but it was a good effort,” Wellwood said.

“She is a top-class filly and I do think with some more time and a better surface we are going to see her do some special things in the future.

“Even in her maiden win, she won on the bridle, and it was good to see her with the blinkers on today as she travelled a lot better and with some more time and 2000m you might see her sweet spot.

“Waimea Bay had a little set back in the spring but has come back nicely and won really well at her last start.

“For her to pick up some black-type is great as she is a well-bred Savabeel filly, owned by the Chittick family.”

Fairy Dream holds a nomination for both the Gr.1 Al Basti Equiworld Dubai New Zealand Oaks (2400m) at Ellerslie on 21 February and the Gr.1 Trackside New Zealand Derby (2400m) a fortnight later, with the stable undecided on which event to target at this stage.

“It’s hard to say where we will go with her although the Fillies Classic (Gr.2, 2100m at Te Rapa on 7 February) may be next and then you may see her in both an Oaks and a Derby,” Wellwood said.

“We will stick to the fillies path at this stage and the Oaks is just an hour-and-a-half up the road to Ellerslie this year, which makes it easier to head that way, but who knows and the way she has won today, she has opened a lot of doors.”

Owned by Colin and Helen Litt, who also raced star mare Orchestral from the stable, Fairy Dream was a $360,000 purchase from the Elsdon Park Book 1 yearling draft at Karaka in 2024.

Bred by Ian and Mel Heyns, Fairy Dream is out of the stakes-placed Viscount mare Fairygem and is from an extended family that includes Gr.1 Captain Cook Stakes (1600m) winner Penny Gem.

The victory earns her six points in the NZB Filly Of The Year series which is currently headed by Well Written and Lollapalooza on 20 points apiece.

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