Laffalong proves worth the wait

 
Laffalong proves worth the wait21 Oct 2020

Patience was rewarded at Ballarat when longshot Laffalong delivered at the first time of asking.

The four-year-old was successful on debut over 1200 metres for trainer Nigel Blackiston following a long road to the racetrack.

Initially purchased as a yearling at the 2018 Inglis Easter Yearling Sale for $240,000, Laffalong suffered an injury in the paddock following the sale and it has taken a big team effort to get her to the track.

Her recovery was initially overseen by the staff at Cambridge Stud as well as ongoing veterinary care from Rob Hitchcock, Dave Keenan and Frances Peat.

She was eased into training at our training stables in Karaka under the care of Lance Noble and his staff, eventually having three trials before she departed to Australia.

Sent off at odds of $57 for her debut, Laffalong continued to defy the odds with a convincing win despite being stuck three wide for most of the journey.

Laffalong is a daughter of All Too Hard and the Zabeel mare Smiles For Layla, a multiple-winning Zabeel mare.

She is a sister to the G2 Light Fingers Stakes winner Adrift and the Karaka Million winner Xiong Feng.

They are out of the unraced Stray, whose half-brother Maldivian won three times at Group 1 level including the Cox Plate.

The multiple winner and G1 Diamond Stakes runner-up Star Treasure is also a member of this family.