She Rules steps up to conquer fine field

What seemed to be a horrible stroke of luck three years ago is starting to look a whole lot better for Whakanui Stud. Their disappointment in not being able to sell She Rules as a yearling was completely forgotten as she scored the best win of her career so far in Saturday's L J Hooker Spring Plate at Ruakaka.
The daughter of Commands and New Zealand Oaks winner She's Country looked set to draw big bids at the 2007 National Yearling Sales at Karaka, but those hopes were dashed when she broke a pedal bone.
That injury not only ruled her out of the sale, but also made a racing career of any note highly unlikely.
It's a tribute to trainer Brett McDonald that she is now a winner of six races from 16 starts, with earnings in excess of $50,000.
Most of her wins had been in a lower grade, but she easily made the step up in class for Saturday's assignment and produced her most impressive performance to date to narrowly beat a brave Sanjeev.
On the face of it, last season's champion 3-year-old Katie Lee was disappointing in finishing third. The performance was at least half a dozen lengths below her best form, but there are several reasons to still have faith that she will do us proud in Melbourne in the coming months - it was her first start since March, and she has never won fresh up in her career; it was over 1200m, which is well short of her best distance; the track, though in remarkably good condition considering how much rain has fallen recently, was still rain-affected and a little shifty, a track condition she has struggled in at times in the past; and although some horses were able to win from well back, the overall pattern favoured horses on or near the pace.
She finished fairly and will no doubt improve from here.
There were a number of excellent performances on Saturday's programme that made putting up with nasty weather worthwhile for spectators.
The most spectacular came, slightly unexpectedly, from Caratacus in one of the day's lesser races.
After falling way off the pace approaching the turn, Caratacus stormed down the outside and thrust his head in front at the line.
Another impressive winner was Follow The Birds, the rank outsider in a classy 3-year-old field in the Passion For Hair 3yo. Slightly unlucky when second on debut, the son of O'Reilly showed great improvement to convincingly beat the talented field in what was just his second start. Like She Rules, Follow The Birds was ridden by the in-form Michael Coleman. The win by Follow The Birds was a surprise but it was a spectacular performance and we were left in no doubt as to his superiority on the day.
He pricked his ears a long way out and gave the impression that he had a great deal more in the tank if needed. This was no fluke.
Follow The Birds is a 3-year-old to be taken very seriously this season. The next few months could be a wonderful ride for popular Taupiri owner-trainer John Morell.
Laughing Gor, a highly-rated colt who has produced a number of eye-catching performances just in behind good horses in his career to date, broke through for the first win of his career in the Stella Artois 1400.
Laughing Gor loved the step up from 1200m to 1400m, and the way he beat an above average maiden field on Saturday suggests much better things lie ahead.