Winter Passage, ridden by Ryan Maloney, wins first-up in a metropolitan race at the Sunshine Coast.
WELL-BRED mare Winter Passage had never looked better heading into a first-up assignment.
She ran right up to those looks with a determined win when resuming in a Benchmark 85 (1200m) at a metropolitan meeting under lights at the Sunshine Coast on Friday, May 15.
Ridden by Ryan Maloney, Winter Passage ($9) travelled beautifully in third before hitting the lead in the straight and holding off a late challenge from favourite The Pines.
The win took the I Am Invincible four-year-old’s record to seven wins and 13 placings from 28 starts.
“She’s always shown us plenty. Every preparation she’s come up and won us a few races,” Kendrick said.
“She’s probably the best we’ve had her first-up tonight,” he said.
“I was pretty confident coming to the turn. She was really travelling.
“Even when The Pines sprinted, it got to her fairly quickly and I thought it was going to grab her, but she dug in really deep.”
Winter Passage has now had 10 starts at her home track for four wins and five placings.
“She likes the big track and she’s comfortable here.”