Rising star Pyrocumulus reached a career ‘cloud nine’, rocketing into the stratosphere in the Mepunga Oaks (450m) at Warrnambool last night.
Trained by Ashlee Terry, Pyrocumulus posted a scintillating 24.84sec win – two lengths off the 24.72sec track record, set by Unlawful Entry on April 27, 2016.
Boxing brilliantly from the ‘green’ trap, Pyrocumulus ($5.10) turned the $7500-to-the-winner event into a one-act affair defeating rank outsider Deep Dive ($30.40) by 6.4L, with Quintana Bale ($3.30F) a further 0.18L away third.
It was her ninth win from 28 starts – including four of her past six – and her prizemoney lifted to $31,360.
Ashlee and her partner, Nathan Rooney, also collected a $1000 VicGreys bonus and a free ‘straw’ to stud dogs Mepunga Blazer and Mepunga Cruzer.
Based at Nilma North, Ashlee – who is expecting her first child in a few weeks – issued some prophetic words leading into the final, saying: “I’m happy she’s drawn out wide (Box 6) – she likes to use the track.”
Pyrocumulus (Sep ’18 El Grand Senor x Maja Mahi Mahi) is Group 1 bred on both lines of her pedigree. In fact, her dam is Ashlee’s first, and only, G1 winner.
A self-confessed fanatical Collingwood supporter, Ashlee’s ‘pet sobriquet’ for Pyrocumulus is “Jordan” – named after Magpies megastar Jordan De Goey.
