Ulanova in Melbourne to target early age group sprints

[Wandering Eyes]

Leading filly Ulanova (NZ) (Santos) has temporarily relocated to Australia to prepare for the early part of her upcoming three-year-old season.

The precocious daughter of Santos is in Melbourne to take advantage of lucrative opportunities within her specialist distance range.

“She has gone over to join Anthony and Sam Freedman, basically it’s due to the racing pattern in New Zealand from August to Christmas for a filly like her,” part-owner and expatriate Kiwi bloodstock agent Michael Wallace said.

“She is a 1000m to 1200m filly and sadly her options are very, very limited.”

Ulanova is likely to make her first appearance for her new stable in the Gr.3 Quezette Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield.

“The first race we have pencilled in is on August 13 so she will be out early and we’ll go from there,” Wallace said.

“All going well there are a host of options for her leading through to the end of the spring carnival.”

Ulanova made six appearances this season from Stephen Marsh’s stable and won two of her six starts, including a runaway victory earlier this year in the Gr.3 Taranaki 2YO Classic (1200m) following a debut success at Te Rapa in the spring.

“Obviously, the move is no reflection on Stephen and our intention is to bring her back and join up with him again. With the early options available, the decision was made for us really,” Wallace said.

Ulanova also finished fourth in the Listed Karaka Million (1200m) and was runner-up in the Gr.1 Sistema Stakes (1200m) behind Tokyo Tycoon (NZ) (Satono Aladdin), who subsequently returned a post-race positive result to meloxicam.

“We’ve had no word on that, I guess pending is the word. It seemed to be pretty straight forward from the outside in but we’ll leave that to the powers that be,” Wallace said.

Ulanova was offered at New Zealand Bloodstock’s National Yearling Sale by Kilgravin Lodge with Wallace having the final say for the chestnut at $150,000.

Michael Wallace at the New Zealand Bloodstock National Yearling Sales at Karaka in January
Photo: Trish Dunell

His Lexington-based Telluride Agency races the filly with his brother David and American client Kuldeep Singh Rajput’s Gandharvi Racing.

“Gandharvi has a number of horses in Australia, they are obviously a reasonably new entity, but this was the first horse they bought in New Zealand,” Wallace said.

“Fortunately, my brother David and I are in the ownership with them so it’s all worked out well.”

Ulanova is a daughter of the stakes-performed Elusive Quality mare The Fairy’s Kiss, whose six foals to race are all winners including Steal My Kisses (I Am Invincible), successful in an edition of the Listed Merson Cooper Stakes (1000m).

The Fairy’s Kiss is also a half-sister to the multiple Group Two winner and Group One placegetter Dame Giselle (I Am Invincible).

“She is a very valuable filly with a deep pedigree and it is one my mother and father developed so she is worth an incredible amount of money. She’s a pretty exciting one to have,” Wallace said.

Another stand-out member of Ulanova’s family is Cent Home (NZ) (Lord Ballina), a two-time top-flight winner for Wallace’s father Jim who has enjoyed an outstanding season with his Gr.1 New Zealand Oaks (2400m) and Gr.1 Australian Oaks (2400m) winner Pennyweka (NZ) (Satono Aladdin).

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