First up Group success for Wild Rain

 Speedy mare Wild Rain claimed a coveted Group win on Saturday when she out-sprinted 14 rivals in the Sir John Monash Stakes (1100m) at Caulfield.

Already a dual Listed winner Wild Rain further enhanced her pedigree page with a sparkling display in the Group Three event and while it was not her biggest payday (that being when runner up in the Magic Millions Sprint) it was almost certainly her most important, defeating all comers at standard weight-for-age.

With the services of champion jockey Damien Oliver, refreshed from a recent holiday, Wild Rain showed her customary speed from the gates to take up a position handy, albeit three deep, to leader Lord of the Sky.

She joined Lord of the Sky, winner of the event in 2014, with 300 left to run. He battled back bravely for a furlong but Wild Rain ultimately had his measure, pulling away at the 100 metre mark to record a one and three quarter length victory over Trevinder and Atmospherical a further half head away in third. Lord of the Sky stuck on well for fourth beaten two lengths.

A dedicated sprinter Wild Rain has been a model of consistency throughout her career winning seven of her eighteen starts and being placed on a further five occasions.

The rising five-year-old was purchased by her trainer Mark Kavanagh at the 2013 Gold Coast Magic Millions Yearling sale for $150,000 and has now returned connections prizemoney of $630,067. With all important black type, added to a pedigree page already saturated with same, her potential value as a broodmare could be as much again.

A member of the first crop of Manhattan Rain, the Group One winning half-brother to champion sire Redoute’s Choice, Wild Rain was the sixth foal of North Flower - a mare by the renowned juvenile and speed sire Rory’s Jester. Moreover North Flower was sister to the stakes winners Canon Song and Duchess Katrin, and half-sister to the dam of the champion racehorse Northerly and his Group winning half-siblings North Boy and Northern Song (both by Rory’s Jester).

Wild Rain is raced in partnership by Isobel Kavanagh, daughter-in-law Cara, Brett Griffith and Tim Storey of Collins Street Partners, Stan and Anna Hunt, Gary and Rhonda Ma and the 1Moretime and DTTM Syndicates.

Image courtesy of Ultimate Racing Photos / Bruno Cannatelli