A bargain buy from Windsor Park Stud’s Rugby, Racing and Beer yearling sale has now won six of her seven starts including a first black-type success in Saturday’s A$200,000 Gr.3 How Now Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield.
Proved (NZ) (Time Test) was bred by Windsor Park Stud and is by Time Test out of the Shamexpress mare Out To Impress (NZ), who is a half-sister to the Gr.1 Victoria Derby (2500m) winner Monaco Consul (NZ) (High Chaparral).
Windsor Park offered Proved at the 2022 edition of their popular Rugby, Racing and Beer sale, where she was bought by Cranbourne trainer Enfer Jusufovic for just $11,000.
The five-year-old mare has now had seven starts for six wins and A$244,575 in prize-money.
“She’s terrific for an $11,000 purchase,” Jusufovic said. “A lot of first time owners in this mare, and a big thank you to Mick Moran from Windsor Park Stud who told me to buy this horse.
“She’s had seven starts for six wins. Her first-up run (fifth at Bendigo on October 26) perhaps may have looked a bit disappointing, but she pulled up with a slight issue and things didn’t go her way.
“Carleen Hefel galloped her during the week and she is riding really well at the moment. I had another option tomorrow, but chose to run today to give it a try. It just all went well.
“I’ve always rated her on a par with New York Lustre (Manhattan Rain), who obviously won a Group race on Derby Day.”
Hefel played her role to perfection in Saturday’s fillies and mares’ feature, driving Proved out of the pack and through a narrow opening towards the inside. Proved accelerated sharply and dived through the gap, snatching victory by a half-head and a head over Aviatress (Smart Missile) and She’s Bulletproof (Shooting To Win).
“She’s a terrific mare,” Hefel said. “EJ has asked me a few times to compare her to New York Lustre. I keep sticking to my guns and saying that I really like her. At her seventh start, to win at Group Three, that is a good effort for a mare. She’s got that will to win.
“She’s a bit more stuck on to her work and more professional than New York Lustre, even from a young horse. With Lustre it was always her way, whereas this mare is so easy. She always showed good ability. I always preferred her, but I think they’re on equal terms.”