Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
Taken from The Thoroughbred Report, Written By Keely Mckitterick
The Peter Moody-trained Sigh (No Nay Never {USA}) is racing in rare form and scored her most valuable victory on Saturday when she won the G3 Sir John Monash S. at Caulfied.
The 4-year-old mare was ridden by Carleen Hefel, who is enjoying a career-best season and tasted success at Group 3 level for the first time. Drawing the pole position, Sigh was prominent throughout the 1100-metre contest and had enough in reserve to hold off the reigning champion Mileva (Headwater), while General Beau (Brazen Beau) was further away in third.
It was the sixth win for Sigh and her third in a row, having won twice at Flemington before Saturday.
Co-trainer Katherine Coleman was thrilled with the result, “The team had a little bit of a concern over drawing barrier one. We knew we would need plenty of luck, but the way Caulfield has played, we started to have a little bit of confidence horses would be coming off the fence,” Coleman told Racing.com.
“We have been very patient with Sigh, and I have to give credit to the whole Yulong team and Mr Zhang for allowing us to do that. We’ve had to give her time to mature, and it’s paying dividends now. I feel there is more to her than just this race.
“Carleen (Hefel) has done a lot of work with the stable, and it just means the world to us when one of our jockeys who has put in the hard yards wins these races.”
Hefel was all smiles after scoring her first Group 3 victory, “It is amazing and such a privilege to get an opportunity for a stable like Pete’s (Peter Moody) in this sort of race,” Hefel enthused.
“I am still an apprentice, and this is a no-claiming race, so it’s amazing and shows he has faith in you, and you’ve got to trust that. Sigh was very tough today, barrier one wasn’t great, but when they came off the fence, we just had to take our medicine and try to get a nice trail.”
Katherine Coleman and Carleen Hefel after winning the G3 Sir John Monash S. at Caulfield
“She’s a beautiful little mare. Very progressive, and I think once she strengthens up, she’ll be better the older she gets.”
Sigh is the first foal from the Authorized (Ire) mare Fantasize. She was a three-time winner from 1300 to 1600 metres. Fantasize is a half-sister to Mr Sneaky(High Chaparral {Ire}), who was placed in the G1 Sir Rupert Clarke S.
Furthermore, this is the family of the G1 Brisbane Cup victor Danestorm, the multiple Group 1-placed She’s Ideel (Dundeel {NZ}) and the Listed Hong Kong Derby winner Furore (Pierro).
Sigh was an $85,000 weanling purchase by Yulong from the draft of Tyreel Stud at the 2019 Inglis Great Southern Sale.
Sigh as a weanling
She becomes the 31st stakes winner for her sire No Nay Never (USA), who stands at Coolmore Stud in Ireland.
