Selita wins at Randwick making it 4 wins in a row

Jockey Hugh Bowman made a winning return to Australia after a stint in japan by guiding up and coming star mare 'Selita' to victory yesterday at Randwick in the Young Farming Championships Handicap.

“Sydney’s home and I didn’t realise it had been so long since I’d ridden here but it’s great to back and I am looking forward to the big races coming up,’’ Bowman said.

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Hugh Bowman was at his very best aboard the Bjorn Baker-trained Selita, taking up the role of pacemaker from the outset and rating the mare perfectly thereafter.

Selita had enough in reserve to fend off an almighty challenge from runner-up and odds-on favourite Miss Royale ($1.80) to prevail by a half-head. Scone mare In A Wink ($9) was a further 1 3/4-lens away in third.

“It was a good performance by the mare and her record speaks for itself, she’s got the picket fence there beside her name, she’s obviously got an excellent winning record and she didn’t let anybody down today,’’ Bowman said.

“She’s done a great job,” Baker said. “She started off a Beaumont at Newcastle then she went to Kembla then she went to Canterbury and Rosehill and now the great Randwick so it’s been a great trip for me and all the owners.

“She’s a lovely mare and even though Shaft hasn’t been overly successful as a sire I’ve got to really take my hat off to the Darby (Syndications) boys, they really know how to buy a good-looking horse and that’s what she is, she is stunning animal, she is great to work with and makes my job easy.

“We’ll just see how she comes through (today), nothing planned specifically, I haven’t had too many do four in a row and I hate putting them out on a winning note too.’’