SMYTHES Creek trainer Emma Stewart has reached a century of winners in a season for the first time in her career.
Shake It Mama took Stewart’s national tally to 100 in the group 1 Australian Oaks, 2240m, at Melton on Friday night.
Shake It Mama ($1.90 favourite) led and dictated terms, rating 1:58.1 in scoring by six metres.
As well as bringing up the ton for Stewart and partner Clayton Tonkin, Shake It Mama gives the stable her three group 1 wins in three-year-old fillies’ classic this season – adding to Beauty Secret in the Victoria Oaks and Hexham Heartbeat in the Vicbred Super Series.
It gives six group 1 victories in total.
Her tally also features the Vicbred Super Series two-year-old double with Guaranteed and Our Femme Fatale, and Vicbred Super Series for three-year-old colts and geldings with Philadelphia Man.
Shake It Mama has now earned more than $210,000 with 12 wins in 23 starts.
This is her second group 1 win, following last season’s Bathurst Gold Tiara.
In reaching 100, Stewart follows in the footsteps on Peter Tonkin (Clayton’s father), who shares the same training complex at Smythes Creek.
Tonkin senior trained 100 nationally in 2002-03, 115 nationally in 2007-08 and missed out reaching the mark nationally by one in 2008-09.
The Stewart/Tonkin combination has gradually built, being consistently in the state’s top 10 trainers since the mid-2000s with 60 in 2006-07, 76 in 2009-10 and 76 in 2010-11.
The stable is on 92 in Victoria this season and second to Glenn Douglas (117) with six weeks of the season to go
BLUCOLLA Tigerpie ($50.90) caused a boilover in the $20,000 Jane Ellen for mares, 2240m.
The daughter of Union Guy was the rank outsider, but after finding the one-out one-back sit was able to have the last say as she rated 1:57.7.
Trained and driven by Michael Stanley, Blucolla Tigerpie is no stranger to big wins.
Her 13 wins in 35 career starts for $100,000 include the group 1 Tasmanian Oaks