Xylia Allen Wins Group Two 2014 McKenna Memorial
She’s done it again.
Writing about the exploits of a champion bitch like Xylia Allen can stretch the superlative bank to the limit.
On Thursday night at Sandown the all-conquering daughter of Turanza Bale and Tayah Bale (Droopy’s Vieri – Francesca Bale) added another chunk of black type to her overflowing CV when she took out the Group Two McKenna Memorial.
The win took her career earnings past $670,000, a clear second on the all-time stakes earners list behind Miata.
After jumping away moderately from box one, Xylia Allen quickly found herself in fourth place and as expected, she was granted a saloon passage along the fence by the early leaders Great Spartacus (2) and Tarks Nemesis (3) who like to use the track.
By the time the field headed through the catching pen and into the back straight, Great Spartacus had a three-length ascendency in front while the champion had railed under Tarks Nemesis to sit in second and set about hauling in the early leader.
Great Spartacus certainly had no intentions of hoisting the white flag and sill had a two length lead as they swung for home. However his penchant for getting to the middle of the track presented Xylia Allen with the opportunity to take the rails run and she duly obliged.
When they crossed the line, Xylia Allen had scored by 1 1/4 lengths in the time of 34.12 from Great Spartacus who had put in a great showing given his relative inexperience at the journey. Tarks Nemesis finished third some four lengths further behind.
The win takes Xylia Allen’s career record to an imposing 35 wins from just 71 starts and there is no sign of that stopping any time soon.
Full Results
1st – Xylia Allen (1) – Jenny Hunt
2nd – Great Spartacus (2) – Kelly Bravo
3rd – Tarks Nemesis (3) – Angela Langton
4th – Mepunga tiara (7) – Jeff Britton
5th – Musquin Bale (4) – Andrea Dailly
6th – Dream It (5) Brooke Ennis
7th – Heidi Go Seek (6) – Angela Langton
8th – Searle Bale (8) Andrea Dailly
Time: 34.12
First Split: 9.16
Second Split: 23.28
Margins: 1 1/4 x 4
Scratchings: My Bro Fabio (9), Cosmic Wise (10)