If you heard a few cheers coming from the Townsend residence in Alectown on Saturday night, it was Stan and his family cheering home talented filly Our Antonio Rose - who won the $50,000 Group 2 NSW Breeders Challenge True Blue Series for three-year-olds in Menangle.
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By Sportswriter out of The Coldstream, Our Antonio Rose may not be big, but she runs her guts out every start and is building a very nice resume.
Townsend, who bred and trained the filly before sending down to Sydney to race from Jason Grimson's stable while she mixes it with the best, spoke with noticeable adoration about Our Antonio Rose.
"She's now earned over $77,000; we breed horses as a hobby and she's just this quiet little filly from the bush who has won some big races in the city.
"My wife (Susan) owns her. We've had some lovely horses over the years who have won Group 1's and the like, and this one has now won a Group 2 and a listed race."
It wasn't that long ago when Our Antonio Rose was at the yearling sales completely unwanted by buyers, who were perhaps deterred by her size.
"I took her down the yearling sales a few years ago and she didn't attract a single bid the little filly!"
The buyers loss was Townsend's gain, with Our Antonio Rose ($5.50) upsetting the well fancied favourite Keep Rockin ($1.06 place) to take home a whopping $30,000 on Saturday.
Son Nathan, who has been on the reins for nine of the filly's 14 career starts, was full of praise for the way the horse has climbed through the ranks.
"She wasn't comfortable in the gear at first but once everything has clicked she just wants to be there, and tries her heart out. She's great to drive."
Here's hoping this is the first Group win of many.
