A sustained speed performance has enabled jockey Tommy Berry to dictate terms on Quilista in the G3 Birthday Card Stakes (1200m) at Rosehill.

The daughter of former Yarradale Stud sire Scandal Keeper (USA) was a stakes winner in WA before part-owners Justin Warwick & Livio Divitini sent her east to champion trainer Darren Weir.

Quilista won first-up at Caulfield and ran creditably during the spring carnival before Weir sent her out for a spell to acclimatize in Victoria.  She bolted in first-up at Flemington and made another mess of her rivals when switched to Sydney for Golden Slipper day.

Berry seized the lead and opened up a big break in the early stages.  “It doesn’t feel like she’s going that fast,” he admitted.  “I gave her a breather coming to the corner and she was off again in the straight.”

Quilista will stay in Sydney to target another feature race during The Championships and then head to Adelaide for the G1 Robert Sangster Stakes (1200m) in May.  “The owners sent her over to boost her broodmare appeal with a Group 1 win on the eastern seaboard,” stable foreman Jarrod McLean said.  “She’s right on track after that performance.”

The Rosehill victory improved her strike-rate to 7 wins in 18 starts and continued the amazing run for Korilya Stud’s Ellie Giles who has bred four stakes performers by Yarradale sires in the last year – Silent Sedition (War Chant), Man Booker (Discorsi), Achernar Star (Gingerbread Man) and Quilista (Scandal Keeper).

Giles also sold last-start LR Goldmarket (1200m) winner Raido (Husson) for $40,000 at the 2013 Perth Magic Millions.

Quilista was a $10,000 giveaway when drafted for the 2015 Perth Magic Millions.  The Birthday Card increased her earnings to $390,200 and that includes $65,000 in Westspeed bonuses.

Her dam Brocky’s Ace (Surtee) has a yearling colt by Gingerbread Man that was knocked down to Commercial Bloodstock (FBAA) for $50,000 at last month’s Perth Magic Millions.  She was covered by War Chant in September.

QUILISTA