[PHOTO: Western Racepix]
Queen Alina was able to reverse the result of her last-start encounter with stablemate Black Fantasy at Ascot on Wednesday when taking out the $125,000 Listed A.T.A. Stakes (2200m).
The duo also ran the quinella in the Listed Towton Cup at Ascot on December 9 and a three-kilo weight swing in the favour of Queen Alina was enough to see her turn the tables.
Backed into $4.60 favouritism and ridden by regular rider Chris Parnham, the Mahuta five-year-old showed surprising gate speed to sit outside of Black Fantasy ($7.50) with the pair settled one-two in running and she levelled up to him passing the 100m mark.
The mare kept lifting over the final stages under the vigour of Parnham to eventually win by a long neck, with Blazing Away ($16) a further nose away in third place.
The Lynward Park bred-and-owned Queen Alina had produced top-four finishes at Listed level at her previous three starts and was able to break through for her first stakes success to take her career record to 18 starts for five wins, nine minor placings and $400,610 in stake and Westspeed Platinum earnings.
Both she and Black Fantasy look set to be leading contenders on the 53kg weight minimum in the $1 million Group 2 Perth Cup (2400m) on January 1.
The Pearce stable will saddle-up Platinum Shot, Manavendra and Zing To Win at Bunbury today before Saturday’s Ascot meeting where Sinful Living, Climb On Top and Play With Desire are engaged.