17 July 2023 | Duncan Dornauf for Tasracing
Baby You A Song missed the two-year-old Tasbred final due to injury, and she missed the three-year-old final due to a cold, but the mare bounced back at four when recording the biggest win of her 12-start career in the Group 3 Collins Homes Granny Smith in Hobart on Sunday night.
The Rohan Hillier-trained and driven mare was sent out as the $2.50-second elect behind stablemate Miss Papenhuyzen at $1.45.
From barrier four, Hillier allowed the mare to work forward under her own steam to find the lead at the 1700m.
From there, they dictated affairs before running away from their rivals to score by 14.6m over Charmedforareason ($61) and Miss Papenhuyzen.
The mile rating for the 2090m journey was 1m 59.0s.
“I was hoping for first and second, but first and third will have to do.
“She is a pretty good front runner, and we had to take advantage from the draw,” said Hillier post-race.
“Once we found the front, we were able to get a breather, and she was too good,” the trainer-driver added.
Hillier indicated post-race that consideration was being given for the upcoming Vicbred series, which commences with heats at Shepparton in late August, with semi finals, and the final to be held in September, with a firm decision to be made in due course.
The win was Hillier’s 900th driving win, and his 13th driving victory across the six divisions of the Tasbred Finals.
Baby You A Song was sent to Brighton-based trainer Paul Ashwood as a two-year-old to take advantage of the large Brighton training track to help with her education.
“We have a narrow track, and she was struggling to get around the corners, and I just thought the big Brighton track may straighten her up, which it did,” said Hillier.
Baby You A Song is out of Shez Ryleymak, which was purchased by Rohan and his wife Katrina in 2007 at a yearling sale in Melbourne for $5,000.
She went on to be a multiple Group 1 winner, and a multiple Tasmanian Horse Of The Year, in a career that saw her win 23 races and over $270,000 in stakes earnings.
Shez Ryleymak retired from racing in January 2012 after a win in Launceston, and she was in foal at the time to Art Major, the result, 35-time race winner Ryley Major.
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