31 Dec 2008
Cambridge Stud-owned Katie Lee scored a very valuable Group 3 win in the $75,000 Stella Artois Eclipse Stakes at Ellerslie on January 1.
Sir Patrick Hogan was one of the first to recognise the importance of the win from a future breeding point of view. "These Group race wins are vital on the pedigree page and she's done a great job today at picking one up."
Katie Lee trounced her rivals in the Eclipse Stakes to the tune of a three-length victory and success was never in doubt for her in the final stages of the race. It was a super trial by the Pins filly for her next major assignment, the $1 million Karaka Million (1200m) at Ellerslie on January 25.
"The Karaka Million has been her main goal all season and that's never changed," Sir Patrick said.
Sir Patrick paid $340,000 for Katie Lee at the 2008 Karaka Yearling Sales from the draft of Hallmark Stud, Te Kauwhata. Her dam is the Group 3 winning Spectacularphantom mare, Miss Jessie Jay, who won nine races and is a half-sister to the dual Group 1 winner Gee I Jane.
"It is an outstanding New Zealand family," Sir Patrick said.
Katie Lee is trained at Tuhikaramea by the Graeme Rogerson, Roydon Bergerson and Scott Lucock combination.