Trainer eyes further Group success

Lance Noble has a family double in his sights with Liguria after our homebred and raced daughter of Snitzel produced a determined display at Ellerslie to claim an early black-type victory.

Pre-race confidence in the filly, who had finished a meritorious fourth on debut, was repaid when she claimed top honours in the G3 Colin Jillings Classic.

“She’s bred to be good and I trained her mother Vernazza to win the Matamata Breeders’ Stakes, so we’ll look to that with this one as well,” Noble said.

Liguria was given an economical run behind the pace by Waren Kennedy before they were into the clear turning for home and the juvenile knuckled down strongly in the closing 100 metres.

“She’s not very big, but she’s extremely athletic with a will to win,” Noble said.

“I’m thrilled to keep the run going for Cambridge Stud after such a great sale.”

Liguria is the first foal of More Than Ready’s late daughter Vernazza, who also showed her quality during a brief racing when career when runner-up in he G1 Diamond Stakes.

Vernazza was a half-sister to Zonza, whose son Zivou won for us at Waverley, and sadly passed away but we do also have a yearling filly out of her by Proisir.

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