She’s lived in the shadow of some more high-profile stablemates through the early part of her career, but Treachery showed she is a star in her own right with a brilliant win in Saturday night’s Allied Express Richmond Lass.
The Emma Stewart-trained pacer chased home a string of top rivals through her days as a two and three-year-old, with the likes of Ladies In Red and Tough Tilly among the same crop of fillies.
However, she appears to have gone to a new level as a mare in season 2022, with a sizzling first-up success at Melton on May 7 backed up by a super display in the Group 3 feature at the same track a fortnight later.
Driver Mark Pitt speared off the arm in search of the early lead from gate seven, but was held out by Greg Sugars and Momentslikethese (Jess Tubbs), who burrowed up from the inside to find the top. The early burn looked like it might cost Treachery a winning chance in the $30,000 event, but she showed amazing stamina to sit parked throughout much of the 1720m journey and run past the leader in the home straight. The danger was then Dougs Babe (Geoff Webster), who had the cold sit on Momentslikethese’s back but just missed in a thrilling photo finish.
In the end there was a short half-head margin to Treachery, with the mares clocking a mile rate of 1:54.7min.
Pitt was full of praise for the daughter of Captaintreacherous, who he feels has come back a better horse this preparation.
“She has raced some of the better mares but I’ll tell you what, this time in I think she has taken the next step and I really don’t think she’s that far off some of the better mares,” Pitt said.
“Obviously she might have to be driven a little bit conservative against some of them, but I do think that she is right up there with them.”
Treachery’s win was the ninth of her career, but only the third here in Victoria with six of her triumphs coming during hit-and-run missions to South Australia. The biggest success was as a two-year-old at Globe Derby in Group 1 The Allwood and she has chased home Ladies In Red in her four other elite level appearances.
Now a nine-time winner from 22 starts, Treachery’s earnings tally is up over $200,000.
The other Group 3 on Saturday night’s card was the I Didnt Do It Trotters Free For All and it was the classy Ultimate Stride that prevailed.
Greg Sugars and Jess Tubbs claimed the only winning doubles on the Melton card.
Sugars steered the Tubbs-trained La Captain and Triple Eight to respective victories in the Alabar Vicbred Platinum Metropolitan Pace (first heat) and Prydes Easifeed Pace.
Tim O’Connor
