Settling towards the rear of the field, the John Thompson-trained Marquardt (Shamardal) surged down the outside of the field to defeat Commands mare Dorf Command in the Listed Nivison Stakes at Royal Randwick.
Ridden by Nash Rawiller, the Patinack Farm-owned mare improved on her luckless seventh behind Lonhro mare Trim first-up two weeks ago to take her second Stakes win by half a length.
Stakes-placed at two when a very close second in the G2 Magic Night Stakes, Marquardt recorded her maiden Stakes victory with a strong win in the Listed Snow White Stakes during the spring carnival of her three-year-old season.
Out of the Centaine mare Centrefold Angel, Marquardt was bred by Little Avondale Trust, who sold her at New Zealand’s Premier Yearling Sale for $100,000 to Patinack Farm.
Trainer John Thompson indicated that the mare would now head towards the Melbourne spring carnival for a few 1400m races at G2 level before she progresses to her ultimate aim, the G1 Myer Classic over the mile at Flemington.
The sire of 17 Stakes winners globally, including G1 winners Faint Perfume and Lope De Vega, Shamardal has nine individual Stakes winner in the southern hemisphere where he is currently covering his fifth book of mares at Darley Kelvinside at a fee of $27,500 including GST.
Earlier in the day Captain Sonador, another Shamardal four-year-old, finished third in the G3 Bill Ritchie Handicap behind Sheikh Mohammed’s Drumbeats.
