Galapagos Girl rewards trainer's faith
The Age 23/02/03

Trainer Brian Mayfield-Smith had his concerns with the Caulfield track at the previous meeting on February 8 but he had good reason to smile after providing the quinella in yesterday's group 3 Mannerism Stakes (1400m) for mares.

The winner, Galapagos Girl, was heavily backed at the last meeting and was caught on the worst section of the track, which ruined her chances, along with those of stablemate Innovation Girl in the group 1 weight-for-age Orr Stakes.

Yesterday, Galapagos Girl, again well fancied although she started at double-figure odds, coped well with the slow conditions and held out stablemate Ella Fire in a three-way photo-finish.

Firming from $15 to $11, Galapagos Girl won by a half-head from Ella Fire ($13) with Flash Bash ($6), who tried to lead all the way, only a half-neck away third.

Galapagos Girl carried the colours, burgundy with a white maltese cross, made famous by many horses, including the 1984 Melbourne Cup winner Black Knight, owned by the late Robert Holmes a Court, one of Australia's leading business entrepeneurs during the '80s

The colours are now registered to his son Paul who owns Galapagos Girl with his grandmother Ethnee, a fascinating character in her own right. The South African-born Ethnee Holmes a Court, now well into her 80s, gained fame for her autobiography Undaunted.

Mayfield-Smith said he hoped to gain more black type for Galapagos Girl and Ella Fire in the coming weeks to add to their value as broodmares.