Coventry To Rio appreciated stepping up to 1500 metres for the first time in her career to win the LD Total Hcp at Ascot on Wednesday.

Coventry To Rio (3f Oratorio – Sent To Coventry by Bellotto) was fitter for two pipe-openers following a six month spell and she ranged up in the straight to score by a half-length from Synoptic (Trade Fair) and Jumbo (Husson Lightning).

“I scratched her from Pinjarra last week when she drew an awkward barrier,” trainer Neville Parnham said.  “The penny is starting to drop with her and I was confident this was a winnable race.”

Coventry To Rio was a $30,000 buy from Mungrup Stud at the 2011 Perth Magic Millions and she races for an Oz Racing syndicate managed by Bruce Saxild.  Parnham went back and bought her Danehill Express half-brother for the same amount at this year’s Magic Millions.

Their dam Sent To Coventry was a proven producer for Mungrup Stud foaling the winners Garbo’s Storm (Metal Storm), Steel Bars (Eternity Range) and Xin Star (Due Sasso) before her death in May 2011.  Her older half-brother West End (Zephyr Bay) was a G3 winner of an AJC Up and Coming Stakes.

Oratorio (Aus) heads the Mungrup Stud roster at a $22,000 (inc gst) service fee.  Besides Coventry To Rio, his current crop of three year-old fillies includes this Saturday’s G3 Champion Fillies Stakes contender Passion Cantata.

– Karl Patterson

COVENTRY TO RIO
Oratorio filly pictured at Mungrup Stud before the 2011 Perth Magic Millions