Tea In Transvaal put in a courageous display of front-running to gain some valuable black type with victory in the TBA Mares' Novices' Hurdle at Newbury.
Tea In Transvaal put in a courageous display of front-running to gain some valuable black type with victory in the TBA Mares' Novices' Hurdle at Newbury.
Although she lost her unbeaten run at Cheltenham last time out, the Evan Williams-trained filly bounced back with a tenacious display in the Listed prize.
Having seen off the attentions of Ruby Rambler, the four-year-old looked to be a sitting duck approaching two out as Irish raider Colla Pier loomed up as a major threat.
The picture changed, though, within a matter of strides as the 11-8 favourite found more for pressure as Colla Pier's petrol tank soon emptied out when called on for an effort.
Pressing on up the run-in, Tea In Transvaal eventually took the extended two-mile contest by an eased-down six lengths.
Williams said: "She is a tough little mare and I had no concerns.
"I thought she was a stone-wall certainty as she was so well in at the weights and she had been so well at home and this looked an ideal opportunity to get some black type.
"We will just keep tipping away - she has been on the go for a long while - b ut when you get a mare in form you have got to keep rolling the dice."