Group Ones Next For Dear Demi


Group One three-year-old filly features are next for Dear Demi following her outstanding win in Saturday’s Group Two Furious Stakes at Warwick Farm.

The Flight Stakes and ultimately the Victoria Oaks at Flemington in November are on the cards for the quality filly.

Trainer Clarry Conners said the filly is in a similar mould to former champion Research who earned Horse of the Year honours by sweeping a string of feature including the Flight and Oaks.

“I’m sure she’ll get the 2500 metres,” Conners said. “It won’t worry her.”

Winning rider James McDonald couldn’t have been more impressed with the performance – predicting even bigger things as her distances are increased into the future.

“She was brilliant,” McDonald said. “She travelled up a lot better than last time.”

“The harder the fight, the more she gives.  One she got clear air she accelerated brilliantly and she held them at bay pretty comfortably.”

“I’m looking forward to her next starts,” McDonald added. “Bring on the Oaks!”

Dear Demi won the listed Fernhill Handicap earlier this year before a second placing in the Group One Champagne Stakes.

The form through the Champagne Stakes is outstanding with third placegetter Tatra also a stakes winner on the same card on Saturday and Pierro still unbeaten with a sensational win in last week’s Group Three Run to the Rose.

Conners purchased Dear Demi for $130,000 at last year’s Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale and she’s quickly earned over $370,000 with the promise of more to come in the coming weeks and months.

Another stakes winning filly by Dehere, Dear Demi is the first runner for the unraced Zabeel mare Shirley – a half sister to South African Group Two winner Merlene de Lago.

Shirley’s dam Merlene was the champion juvenile of Australia during the 1995-96 season with wins in the Golden Slipper and AJC Sires’ Produce Stakes.

Merlene is from the Magic Millions 2YO Classic winner Bold Promise and is thus a sister to group winner Compulsion and half sister to multiple Group One winning sprinter Miss Pennymoney.

Winner: Dear Demi
Breeding: Dehere-Shirley (Zabeel)
Race: NSW Tatt’s RC Furious Stakes G2 (1400m)
Sold for: $130,000
Sale: 2011 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale
Vendor: Strawberry Hill Stud
Buyer: Clarry Conners
Earnings: $373,650
Owner(s): Strawberry Hill Stud Syndicate (Mgr: JD Singleton)
Trainer: Clarry Conners