Ken Casellas | Photo: PACEPIX
On December 1, 2017, Reaza Grunter gave a sample of her class with a brilliant all-the-way victory in a heat of the San Simeon Classic.
Her half-sister Sister Cherie revealed similar ability when she led and scored an easy win in the 2130m Perth’s Kate Mac For Breakfast On Smooth FM Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night December 1, 2023
This enhanced Sister Cherie’s record to four starts in Western Australia for Mt Helena trainer Ray Williams for four victories after she had managed one win and two placings from eleven starts in New Zealand.
Reaza Grunter, who had three starts at Gloucester Park for trainer Shane Tritton and his wife, star driver Lauren, and Sister Cherie are out of the Badlands Hanover mare Sheza Grunter, who won at three of her 34 starts in New Zealand. Incidentally, Sheza Grunter raced once on December 1 in a 2600m stand on the grass track at Geraldine when she galloped at the start and finished a distant last in the 16-horse field in 2007.
Sister Cherie, the $2.30 favourite from barrier four on Friday night, gave Deni Roberts an armchair drive, dawdling through the lead time of 38.1sec. and opening quarters of 32.2sec. and 30.9sec. before running over the final 400m sections in 28.2sec. and 29.1sec. to win by a half-length from $23 chance Between Two Thorns, who fought on gamely after enjoying a perfect trip in the one-out, one-back position.
“When she arrived from New Zealand Sister Cherie had so much to learn,” said Williams. “I took her to trials at Northam and she went well, and after that she improved with her attitude. She is very laid back, and in races when a horse comes at her she gets going. She was never going to get beaten tonight.”