My Country produced an excellent performance in the 2016 Lancaster Stakes this morning to become the first horse to win a race on the new Eagle Farm track.
My Country finished over the top of her rivals to record an impressive win in the Lancaster Stakes. Photo by: Daniel Costello
My Country was jumping up in class significantly following a win at Kembla Grange on May 28, but she received a lovely run in transit and she finished over the top of the well-backed favourite Invincibella to record a maiden black-type win.
Jockey Blake Shinn was pleased with the performance of My Country and he said that it was a great thrill to ride the first winner on the new racing surface.
“It is fantastic,” Shinn said.
“As I said before the race, it has a great feel about it today and it is a great buzz, especially to win on this horse who has a great group of owners in her.
“She is a filly that they are chasing this valuable black-type with and they brought her up after a Kembla Grange win, so this was a big step for her and she did a great job.
“Her manners were perfect, she jumped great, lobbed into a great spot and she tried really hard.”
Co-trainer Peter Snowden revealed after the race that he has always been of the opinion that My Country had a great deal of talent and he was thrilled to see her get the job done in the 2016 Lancaster Stakes.
Snowden said that My Country will now head for a stint in the spelling paddock before she returns for a tilt at the three-year-old fillies races during the 2016 Spring Racing Carnival.
“She is a filly that has shown quite a bit of ability and she is a progressive filly,” Snowden said.
“I think we will take her home, give her a short break and certainly look towards the spring with her and we will set her for some nice races as a three-year-old.
“It is hard to put a lid on her just yet, but she switched off really well there today and how far she gets I’m sure we will find out in the spring.
“The important thing is that she has talent.”
The well-backed Invincibella was far from disgraced in second for Chris Waller and Hugh Bowman, while Godolphin-owned Nonpareil made up good ground late to finish a close third.
