Classy Amasenus Bounces Back In Marjorie Charleson
Amasenus bounced back from an unlucky performance in the Cyril Flower Stakes (1200m) to land the feature prize at Ascot’s Good Friday meeting.
Amasenus covered extra ground in the Cyril Flower Stakes, but rebounded strongly to edge out Buzzoom in a determined Marjorie Charleson Classic (1200m) victory.
Aided by a top Brad Parnham ride, Amasenus settled fifth behind Buzzoom before peeling out on cornering and working hard to go past the Dan Morton-prepared filly.
The Simon Miller-trained mare, a Listed winner of the Bolton Sprint (1200m), last July, defeated Buzzoom by a long neck with another 1 ½ lengths to stable mate, Flirtini.
Parnham rode his first race on Amasenus and landed the second-leg of a double after getting Critical Altitude home for trainer-father, Neville Parnham.
This’ll Testya, coming off her Cyril Flower Stakes success 62 days ago, led as anticipated from gate one, but was a spent force on straightening and faded to a distant fifth.
The race was robbed of a little gloss when David Harrison’s well regarded Searchin’ Roc’s was scratched late after she failed to load into the barrier.
Parnham said the race scripted perfectly for Amasenus.
“It worked out pretty well and obviously when Searchin’ Roc’s came out I thought things might change a bit, but it probably worked out better,” Parnham said.
“I was able to be comfortable where I was following Buzzoom, knowing she was going to get me to the straight and yeah, we were too good.
“If anything, I probably went a touch too early because I was travelling well, but she gave me a better turn of foot than I probably anticipated.
“She has been a very good and consistent horse with a lightning turn of foot.”
Amasenus extended her record to nine wins from 19 starts with prizemoney just shy of $400,000.
Two of her four placings were in last July’s Beaufine Stakes (1000m) and the Scenic Blast Stakes (1200m) earlier in January.
In a six horse line up, the daughter of Time For War was sent out an $8 chance with Buzzoom holding favouritism.
Miller’s representative, Kelly Kinninmont, said the stable thought Amasenus was over the odds and had escaped the attention of punters.
“I think she was the forgotten horse in the race, no one seemed to be tipping her, Kinninmont said.
“But we were quietly confident and thought she would do well.”
Julio Santarelli