Racing: Tootsie makes up for bad luck

Mike Moroney and connections of honest mare Tootsie gained compensation for an unlucky defeat at Group One level in New Zealand when she took out the Group Three Mannerism Stakes at Caulfield yesterday.

The Pins 5-year-old was slowly away and struck interference at the start when runner-up to Vonusti in the Telegraph Hcp (1200m) at Trentham on January 23. However she landed her best win to date in the 1400m set weights plus penalties event for mares.

The winner of seven of her 23 starts, Tootsie's previous best win was in the listed Timpson Sprint (1200m) at Te Rapa in November 2008.

"I thought she was unlucky last time and she was well in at the weights [with 53kg] here today. If it was a handicap she would have had 58kg," Moroney said.

With the addition of blinkers, Tootsie ($4.60 fav), ridden by Dwayne Dunn, wore down Be Positive ($31) to score by a long neck with Flying Tessie ($9) the same margin away third.

Dunn completed a winning double from just two rides at the meeting after the Lee Freedman-trained Speed Gifted was scratched from the St George Stakes. Earlier Dunn steered the Freedman-trained Electromotive ($26) to victory in the Clamms Seafood Classic (1200m).

- AAP