Sanniya's stunning victory left everyone in awe! Barry Campbell's exceptional filly, Sanniya, showcased her superior class in Wednesday's Devonport Carpet Charge, a 1009-meter sprint, leaving her competitors in the dust under the skilled guidance of jockey Craig Newitt.
This remarkable daughter of Tasmanian stallion Stratosphere, who already boasted a Listed win in her second start, has now triumphed in an impressive four out of five races. Starting as the overwhelming favorite at just $1.10, Sanniya's performance was nothing short of dominant.
From the start, Sanniya took the lead and never relinquished it, ultimately finishing seven lengths ahead of a field of seasoned local sprinters on the synthetic track. She was even eased up in the final 100 meters of the $109,000 contest, a testament to her commanding lead.
Newitt, affectionately known as 'Froggy,' praised Campbell for his strategic decision to enter the lightly-raced but incredibly promising filly in the open-age challenge. The outcome, and the significant margin of victory, spoke volumes.
“Geez he does a good job, Baz. He’s placed this filly very, very well – he could have easily stayed against her own age, but he was able to throw her in the deep end,” he said.
“Obviously, it’s an advantage being on your home track, but she’s just made a small, but very quality field look very average.
“Once I crossed and hadn’t done much work early, it was game set and match… I don’t know how good she is.”
The likely next steps for Sanniya include the $50,000 Lady Lynette race, covering 1100 meters, followed by the Group 3 Mystic Journey Stakes over 1200 meters, both to be held in Launceston in the coming month.
Even with the challenge of racing away from her home track, Newitt expressed strong confidence in Sanniya's potential to win in either event, provided she can handle the increased distances.
“Her two-year-old days, she really wanted to get it over and done with, but now she’s relaxing really well in front and showing good acceleration,” he said.
“The 1100m of the Lady Lynette, good luck trying to catch her there, and hopefully she’s physically strong enough for the 1200m (in the Mystic Journey).
“If she is, good luck beating her there!”
But here's where it gets interesting: The decision to enter a young horse into a more challenging field can be a gamble. What do you think about Campbell's strategy? Do you agree with Newitt's assessment of Sanniya's potential? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
