Conntections of filly Grey River are reaping the benefits of Racing Rewards SA.
After two encouraging runs earlier in the year, they played the patient game spelling the daughter Al Maher who went unbeaten in her first two three-year-old starts in October.
She was successful first-up from a spell at Gawler before stepping up to city grade and winning at Morphettville banking $61,475 in prizemoney along with an additional $26,800 in bonuses.
“Winning her maiden and then the race in town as well as getting the bonuses was great to start the campaign,’’ O’Connor said.
“We’ve always thought she was a horse with some quality. We gave her the two runs earlier in the year, she didn’t have much luck on debut and then we chucked her in a good race, and she was probably ready for a break by then.
“But she’s come back well, and it wasn’t a surprise to see her winning,’’ he said.
Her superb campaign continuing into early November when she was placed at Group 2 level at Flemington running second in the Desirable Stakes on Oaks Day and taking earnings past the $100,000 barrier.
“She went super, it was great to see her run so well, but a touch disappointing to go so close at the same time,’’ O’Connor said.
“I’ve been around long enough to know how hard it is at Flemington during Cup week, so we went over optimistic and I thought she did a great job after doing a little bit of work early.
“She’ll now go the Twilight Glow at Caulfield at the end of November,’’ he said.
It was a double win for trainer Jon O’ Connor who secured himself $3240 in Racing Rewards SA Training Bonuses while also being a part-owner of the filly who was bred in SA.