Refemme No Angel is bred to be good and he lived up to the family pedigree when getting out to 1400m for the first time in the Bisley Workwear Hcp at Belmont on Wednesday.
The Wally Daly homebred was perfectly placed following Viresha (North Pacific) until the odds-on leader hit a brick wall in the straight. Fortunately, Brayden Gaerth had already eased off the fence without losing any momentum and the promising 3yo created a margin to deny late closers Pembeton (Gingerbread Man) and Wild Things (Playing God).
Refemme No Angel had a sole educational outing at Belmont in March and he’s come back a more mature galloper this season according to co-trainer Sean Casey. “All his brothers have been very good and we’re looking forward to seeing him go on with it now. He’s sound and in great condition so we will take him home and work out when to step him out again.”
Gaerth said he was happy to track Viresha but sensed the filly was struggling turning for home. Stewards later reported a post-race vet examination revealed she was slow to recover. “I could tell she was in trouble so I took him out and he let down nicely. He was very impressive winning his trials but was still learning and hadn’t been putting it together in his races until today.”
Refemme No Angel is by Darley’s Irish-bred shuttler Harry Angel (Dark Angel) and he’s the 9th winner from Refemme (Surtee) who won the LR Gimcrack Stakes (1100m) in 2004. The best of her progeny to date has been $455,000 earner Charleton Eddie (Shooting To Win) and her most recent foal is unraced 2yo colt One Last Resort (Tassort) who was runner-up in an Ascot trial last month.
Their older half-sister Femmette (Murtajill) is the dam of Daly’s homebred 2yo Beatty (Gingerbread Man) who is unbeaten following a last-start victory in the Crystal Slipper Stakes (1100m) at Ascot. Daly bought into the family when purchasing third-dam Guinevere (Agincourt) for $16,000 at an Inglis Sydney Yearling Sale in 1997.
Daly also bred Thermosphere Lad (Exosphere) to land the Mrs Mac’s Hcp (1200m) last Saturday week at Ascot. He initially raced in Daly’s pink and blue checked colours and was winning for the third time this year for Bullsbrook-based owner Cooper Casey and trainer Angela Johnston.
