Stratheden Stud

Donnadane Arrives!

SYDNEY, Oct 4 - Brian Marheine has waited a long time for Donnadane's racetrack debut and his patience was rewarded when the three-year-old filly treated her rivals to a galloping lesson at Canterbury tonight.

Marheine bred Donnadane at his Stratheden Stud and kept her to race with his family after she was passed in at the yearling sale for $475,000.

By supersire Danehill out of smart mare Gatana, Donnadane is trained by John Hawkes who urged Marheine not to race her as a two-year-old. "John has been very patient with her," Marheine said.

"She went shinsore a couple of times as a youngster and John decided she needed more time to mature and it's paid off.

"She's a real racehorse now and wouldn't have been if we'd pushed her too soon." Donnadane started favourite in the Deen Vat Series and never gave her backers any concerns with Rod Quinn positioning her up on the pace from the outset.

He asked for an effort in the straight and Donnadane responded to put 1-3/4 lengths on Southern Sal with Taispeann another short half head third.

Although it was only her first start, Marheine admitted he hoped Donnadane would turn into an Oaks filly next autumn.

"She's bred to stay and we'd like to think she could turn out to be a classic filly," he said. "But it's a long way off and it will be up to John (Hawkes) what she does next."

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