The in-form filly Epidemic gained a debut Stakes win for herself and piled more credit on what is becoming an illustrious family when she bravely won the Listed Helen Coughlan Stakes at the Sunshine Coast on Saturday, 2 June.
Stepping up to graded company for the first time, Epidemic added to the record of her sire Lonhro and further enhanced the future as a stallion of her full-brother Impending, scoring by a head from Pomelo.
The win came a week after Impending won his second G1 win and, hopefully, a week before he collects a third when he runs in the G1 Stradbroke Handicap.
Epidemic had to draw on all her reserves to claim a win that seemed out of reach with 50m to run.
But on the worst part of the track, she took the lead two strides from the line, nosing out the runner-up to score by a head.
Like Impending, who retires to stud later this year, Epidemic is a daughter of the G1-winning mare Mnemosyne, one of the best fillies of her era and now an elite broodmare.
From her six foals to race, five have been winners and Epidemic is her third Stakes winner.
Epidemic is the 76th Stakes winner for her sire Lonhro who boasts an outstanding record of better than 70 per cent winners to runners.
Lonhro will begin the new southern hemisphere stud season in September at Kelvinside, NSW, at a fee of A$55,000, including GST.
