Classy mare serves notice to potential rivals

RISING star Captains Mistress continued her trek towards Australia’s premier mares’ race with an emphatic victory at Club Menangle last Saturday night.

Fresh from her heat win the previous week, Captains Mistress completed a clean sweep of the series by capturing the New Years Gift Final.

Unbeaten from two starts for leading trainer Jason Grimson, Captains Mistress led throughout from barrier eight to register an effortless 18-metre win from her stablemate, Still Rollin.

Demon Blue rounded out a Grimson trifecta when a head away third.

In what was a dominating training performance, Grimson’s trio also completed a clean sweep of the three qualfiers.

With Cameron Hart holding the reins, Captains Mistress covered the mile in 1:52.9, taking her overall record to 10 wins and seven placings from 20 starts for earnings of $472,426.

A dual Group One winner before leaving New Zealand, the daughter of Captaintreacherous is being readied for the prestigious Queen Elizabeth II Mile at Club Menangle on May 2.

Lead-up races such as the Sibelia and Robin Dundee Stakes are also on the agenda.

Earlier on the card Grimson and Hart combined to score with topline pacer Swayzee.

After working to the front from gate 10, Swayzee was never seriously challenged on his way to a seven-metre win from Ubetcha Tigerpie.

Helluva was three metres away third as the winner rated 1:54.5 over 2300 metres.

Swayzee is expected to head south for this weekend’s Ballarat Cup.