Poland rewarded with first stakes victory

Heather Poland was been rewarded for her hard work with Eckstein, combining with the talented when they combined for their first stakes win on Saturday.

Poland went to the lead on Eckstein ($9) and held on to beat Candika ($11) by a half-neck with a head to the favourite Gibraltar Girl ($5) in the Listed Mode Plate (1200m) at Eagle Farm.

Originally from New Zealand, Poland was in Goulburn, NSW, before relocating to the Gold Coast recently.

She has a top record on Eckstein having won races at Rosehill and Randwick on the filly in October.

“It was only my second ride at Eagle Farm and it is my first stakes win. But I am glad do win a big race on this filly. She is very tough,” Poland said.

Eckstein is trained by Poland’s partner Kurt Goldman who gave her most of the credit for the win.

“Heather has been with her on the Gold Coast and done all the work with her, Goldman said.

“Eckstein can be hard to handle but Heather knows her and that is why she rides her in her races.”

“It was probably a bonus when the Mode Plate was called off last week because Eckstein didn’t travel well and had been off her feed. But she picked up this week.”

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Poland will retain the ride on Ecksetin, who has now won three of her six starts, and the pair could have even bigger rewards ahead.

Goldman said Eckstein would stay on the Gold Coast and tackle either the Magic Millions Guineas or the Magic Millions fillies and mares race on January 14.

The filly is likely to have her lead-up race in the Group Three Vo Rogue Plate on December 31.

Meanwhile, trainer Matt Dunn would like to run three year old Realing in the Magic Millions Guineas but fears she won’t have enough prize money to earn a start.

Realing ($13) took his eligible prize money for the Guineas to $65,000 with his win.

“It is hard to say how much he will need. But it is worth considering running him in the Vo Rogue Plate in three weeks to chase some big prize money,” Dunn said.

Consistent mare Mystic Opal continued to reap the benefit of a perfect preparation with a win in the Cascade Handicap (1400m).

“You would like every horse in your stable to have the preparation he has had as it has been perfect,” trainer Chris Anderson said.

“She overcame a few problems to win by nearly thee lengths today. We might even start thinking about the better races in the winter.”