Former New Zealand mare Enchanted Elle (NZ) (Jakkalberry) marked herself as a hurdler to watch this season at Casterton on Sunday, breaking her jumps maiden in fine style under the in-form Will Gordon.
Trained by Symon Wilde, the daughter of Jakkalberry had done little in three Australian flat runs since arriving last October, but she ran a game second to Singforpeace in a maiden hurdle at Warrnambool last start, with a 20-length gap to third.
Enchanted Elle ($2.70) jumped a clear second pick behind the consistent Balinor ($2), but Wilde’s mare was left with the race to lose when the favourite made a big mistake at the fourth of the last.
But given how well Enchanted Elle travelled in front throughout, Balinor mightn’t have been any match regardless, as Gordon clicked his mount up and soon had a mammoth lead in hand.
The home straight was essentially a schooling display, as Gordon ensured nothing untoward would occur over the last two hurdles, but the margin back to Teewaters ($12) was still over four lengths on the line.
The dual-code English hoop has won an impressive eight of his 33 in the last eight days, with his 300th Australian win aboard Pat Kearney’s Kiss My Rock amongst them.
But he gave all credit to Enchanted Elle for Sunday’s dashing victory.
“I was probably just a bit of a passenger, to be honest, for most that,” Gordon said.
“She’s tailor made for a track like this, Casterton – she jumps like an absolutely rabbit, makes up many lengths at the hurdles.
“When I was able to wing those three down the back and she still gave me a kick around that home corner, I thought, ‘surely nothing’s coming to me here’.”