TALENTED mare Ashkalini delivered a professional performance to score an effortless all-the-way win a C0 over 1680 metres.
The Barrie Rattray-trained mare was having her third start this preparation and this was her second win as she saluted first-up in Launceston late last month.
Ashkalini showed plenty of speed to easily cross from gate six and once in front driver Todd Rattray rated her superbly.
The three-year-old filly had her rivals covered a long way from home and wasn’t fully extended to score by over five metres from Denvers Boy with The Detonator hanging on for third ahead of Charlie Grattan.
The filly has done a good job from limited opportunities this season.
This was her third win from only eight starts but she also has notched three seconds and a fourth.
She finished fifth in the V75 3YO Championship in Launceston in December but she finished only 4.4 metres from the winner Udoit.
Ashkalini is extremely well bred being by Art Major from Rattray’s outstanding broodmare Gorse Bush that has produced six foals and all have won with the progeny amassing a total of 46 wins for almost $340,000 in stakes.
Ashkalini showed a lot of potential last season as she won three including the $20,000 Evicus Stakes, was placed twice and finished no further back that fourth from her eight 2YO starts.
Todd Rattray made it a double when he led virtually all the way to win the Holcim Pty Ltd 3YO over 1680m aboard the underrated Cardinal Tucker.
Cardinal Tucker, prepared at Riverside by Chester Bullock, showed blistering early speed from gate seven and after a short stoush with Inchbyinch, prepared and driven by his father Barrie Rattray, he eventually forged to the lead.
It was almost a carbon copy of his drive aboard Ashkalini.
Rattray finished the night as he started with an all-the-way winner. He guided Melman to victory over Safina Leis and the favourite Sing And Dance in the Nancy Valmai Harris 3YO over 1680 metres.