Big Ambitions for Waikato Filly


Trainer Danny O’Brien has big ambitions for rising star My Pendant this Autumn.

The three-year-old filly, who has won her past three races in town, holds a nomination for the All Star Mile and for the Group 1 Australian Guineas.

After having a freshen up at O’Brien’s 13th Beach Facility over the Christmas-New Year period, the Waikato Stud prodigy is back under saddle with the aim of kicking off in the Group 3 Vanity Stakes at Flemington on February 16.

“They are speculative nominations, but her progression has been staggering in her first two months racing. From starting at $41 in a maiden at Kilmore to winning three on the trot in town is tremendous,” O’Brien said.

“She is untapped having just had the five career starts and if she was to continue her winning ways and won the Vanity impressively, it would be hard to resist having a crack at the Guineas.

“Then if she won that too, she would be the form three-year-old of the Autumn and we would be kicking ourselves if we weren’t nominated for the All Star Mile.

“However there is a lot of water to go under the bridge first.”

O’Brien has already won an Australian Guineas second-up with a filly when Shamrocker, who would end up being crowned Champion Three-Year-Old Filly that season, was victorious back in 2011.

The daughter of O’Reilly returned from finishing second in the VRC Oaks in the Spring in the Vanity before winning Guineas head of beating the boys in the 150th AJC Derby at Randwick. She also and placed in both the Rosehill Guineas (3rd) and AJC Oaks (2nd) that preparation.

My Pendant is raced by Waikato Stud in conjunction with O’Brien’s stable clients, and is by one the Stud’s resident stallions in Pins.

Pic by Racing Photos

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