John Allen and Ciaron Maher & David Eustace have combined with Recommendation to take out the Group 3 Zeditave Stakes in somewhat of a boil over in the three-year-old race over 1200m at Sandown.
La Danseuse Rogue and Queen Of The Ball led the field with the eventual winner, and as the other two started to puncture with 200m to go, the winner just kept kicking to take out the Group 2 by a long neck on the line.
The Shalaa gelding has successfully made the jump from winning a Benchmark 64 Handicap at Canterbury back on February 1 to winning a Group 3 event on Blue Diamond Stakes Day in Victoria.
Recommendation has now taken his career record to four wins from six starts and now adds some very important black type to his name.
2023 Zeditave Stakes Replay – Recommendation
Ciaron Maher & David Eustace brought up a multi-state race-to-race double with Glory Daze winning at Randwick, just before Recommendation jumped at Sandown, and Maher spoke post-race.
“This horse has just gone to another level,” Maher said.
“It's last race put the writing on the wall and it's gone on with it again and I think he'll improve out the back of this, so I'll be interested to see what Johnny (Allen) says.”
Maher was then questioned about what gave him the confidence to take a horse from a Benchmark 64 to a Group 3.
“The form out of his last race was very good, and just the horse, he showed us how much improvement he had going into that race and coming out of it,” Maher replied.
John Allen brought up his first winner on Blue Diamond Stakes Day with this win on Recommendation and he spoke post-race about the win.
“She was just in for the fight today,” Allen said.
“She changed legs in the straight and she lost balance a bit.
“Once she gathered herself, she stormed home in the final 100 (metres) and it felt like they weren't gonna get past her.
“She's definitely on an upward spiral.”