Racing: Famous Trophy victory for another Eve

Memories going back four decades came flooding back to Matamata owner-breeder Philip Brown when Our Famous Eve scored an upset win in the group two Windsor Park Stud Trophy at Tauranga yesterday.

It's 39 years since Our Famous Eve's granddam Battle Eve won the same race for Brown's parents Bill and Ev. Through that period the bonny little chestnut proved to be one of the best of her era, winning a total of 25 races.

Our Famous Eve went into yesterday's $85,000 race as the winner of just two of her 11 starts but came through with a plucky win at odds of 33-to-one.

After ranging up to challenge as the field swung for home, she found plenty for Kelly Myers to hold out a strong late bid from second fancy Viadana.

Postmans Daughter hit the line strongly for third in her first start for two months, while down the track were the favourite Diademe (12th) and Fleur de Lune (ninth). Diademe, who had made the pace with Joey Massino shadowing her, was under pressure with all of 300 metres remaining and weakened badly to finish more than eight lengths from the winner.

A post-race examination revealed possible muscle soreness in Diademe's hindquarters, which would be investigated further back at her home stables.

Even before the race, Philip Brown had reflected on Battle Eve's 1974 Tauranga win with thoughts of what her grand-daughter might achieve.

"At home this morning I had a look at the trophy the mare won way back then and wondered how good it would be to do it again," he said. "I can tell you it feels great!

"Battle Eve was one out of the box and it means so much for this mare to now come out and put her name on this race."

Our Famous Eve showed ability at an early stage, finishing second as a mid-season three-year-old in the group two Royal Stakes and fifth in the group one Darci Brahma International Stakes. With several Australians involved with Philip and Catherine Brown in the racing partnership, the decision was made to send her to Victoria for her four-year-old season.

She failed to adapt to the change of environment, however, and after a fourth placing at provincial Ararat in her only start, returned to her Matamata trainer Glenn Old.

The win was yet another feather in the cap for winning rider Kelly Myers, whose best ever season for quality wins has been headed by the group one Levin Classic.

-theinformant.co.nz