Funtantes' rivals played into her hands in the Listed Nudgee Quality. Picture: Liam Kidston Source: The Courier-Mail
CLASSY mare Funtantes was gifted a third stakes success in yesterday's Listed Nudgee Quality after jockey Damian Browne was allowed to coast through the first section in figures more befitting a Birdsville maiden.
Browne and Funtantes (right) ambled through the first 600m in a leisurely 36.09sec and she was never going to be beaten from that point.
Playtime did a big job to run on for second from the back.
"I was a bit surprised how easy they did give me the lead," Browne said.
"She's a quality mare and she was always going to be too good under those circumstances."
Times aside, it was hard to begrudge Funtantes another stakes win, as she has consistently carried big weights in similar type races.
Her earnings now top the $600,000 mark and as a Group 2 winner she is a valuable broodmare prospect.
Funtantes is likely to be retired to stud later this year, but trainer Rob Heathcote felt there was another win or two in the tank.
"We've learned she races best when kept on the fresh side, so I will just give her these short little campaigns and then keep turning her out for a short break," he said.
"She's paid the penalty her whole career for winning a Group 2 as a two-year-old so she thoroughly deserves to win another race like this."
A CHANGE in tactics produced a vastly different result for Aldini, who stung favourite-backers when winning the Bundaberg Rum Handicap (1200m).
Aldini was heavily backed first up but, after leading, weakened to finish sixth.
Rex Kelly, representing his son David, said Aldini jarred up on that occasion and he was confident of a better result this time.
"He was ridden upside down last time so we told Tim (Bell) to drop him out today and he gave him a 10 out of 10," Kelly said.
TOOWOOMBA-BASED jockey Kenji Yoshida notched a long awaited winning city double with longshots Gatineau River and Plumage.
"I had a few as an apprentice, but that was a long, long time ago," he quipped.
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