Racing: Supera super in Travis Stakes

Vigor Winner (black hood) and Speedy Meady (black cap) fight out a thrilling finish to dead-heat in the Cambridge Breeders' Stake. Photo / Trish Dunell

Consistent mare Supera capped an outstanding season's work when she dominated her rivals in the closing stages when winning the Group 2 Travis Stakes (2000m) at Te Rapa yesterday.

The Savabeel four-year-old has proven a model of consistency throughout her campaign that started in October with a fresh-up victory over 1400m at Te Aroha.

Patience has been the keyword for trainers Ken Kelso, wife Bev and Mark Donoghue as they slowly made their way through the grades with the Sir Peter Vela-owned mare.

Michael Coleman displayed a steely nerve to settle Supera well off the pace before asking her to sustain a powerful finishing burst that carried her to an imposing two-length victory over Awapuni visitor Jessiegee.

"I thought she was further back than what we initially thought she would be, but she was nice and relaxed and lobbing along," said Ken Kelso.

"There was a bit of speed in the race, so we always thought if she was our best, she would get over the top of them. She's very special."

Kelso expected more from her in the spring.

"She won't be out too long and we'll bring her back and set her for something through the spring.

"We've had a lot of good mares over the years and she is right up there with them."

• In a thrilling finish to the Group 3 Cambridge Breeders' Stakes (1200m), the judge couldn't separate the pair of Vigor Winner and Speedy Meady, who shared victory.

Runners were across the track at the 100m before Speedy Meady burst through a gap with what looked like the winning run, only to be caught in the last stride by Vigor Winner, who fought back bravely after being clearly headed.

After several minutes, judge Tommy Thomson declared a dead-heat for first, with Santa Catarina just a head away in third.

Speedy Meady's trainer Stephen Ralph was over the moon with the effort by his charge, who had won at Rotorua on Monday but gained a start only when four higher-rated runners were scratched on race morning.

"We'll take a dead-heat every day," he said. "I was sitting up [in the grandstand] on the line and I thought he had it by a nose and I was going completely off, but we'll take the dead-heat.

"We only knew we were in about 7.25am [yesterday], so we had to sort the jockey out.

"Unfortunately, Cameron [Lammas] was on She's A Thief but we knew Andrew [Calder] had ridden him at the trials, so he got the call."

Vigor Winner's trainer Lauren Brennan was also pleased with his effort after the lightly-raced Declaration Of War gelding had drawn barrier 13 for the contest.

"He has the ability and a good horse always seems to find his way through. He [Vigor Winner] has just got so much raw natural ability and we will probably head to Queensland now."

- NZ Racing Desk