Canberra trainer John Nisbet was getting frustrated with a promising filly that wouldn't deliver on race day but he persevered with the same jockey – his daughter Kayla.
That commitment was rewarded when Kayla rode beautifully to finally break the maiden of three-year-old Stratum's Rose in the second (1600 metres) at Thoroughbred Park on Friday.
Kayla Nisbet won aboard Stratum's Rose, which her father John trains, at Canberra on Friday.Credit:Karleen Minney.
Kayla has been aboard all but one of the 11 rides which produced five placings in eight months, before the breakthrough win at Canberra.
John finished one from one in the capital and said he always knew his daughter could tame the tricky horse and get the job done.
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"It's good for that horse to get the monkey off the back because she's had a fair few starts and she's been taking a while to break through which has been a bit frustrating," Nisbet said.
"She's been a difficult horse to get going so it's good for her to finally win but she came from last after pulling hard early on, so she makes it hard but won comfortably in the end.
"Dont really know where to next, we'll find a similar class miler somewhere and hopefully now she's won she can go on with it."
It wasn't the first time the father-daughter duo have won following Kayla's shock epilepsy diagnosis in 2016 but John said it was one the most satisfying.
"Weve won a lot together but Kayla's going fantastic at the moment," John said.
"She's getting support from good stables and riding well, her health is good and her weight is good which is great.
"She had to have a year off through the seizures which was a bit frustrating for her but she's such a positive girl, she took everything in her stride and kept working, she's a credit to herself.
"She rides from Goulburn right down to Corowa, covers a lot of territory. I'm proud watching her develop, she was an apprentice to me and Ronny Weston… we're both very proud of her."
It was great start to the day for brave punters with Iva Lilo ($10) getting home comfortably ahead of The Unknown Factor ($3.90), while favourite Magnavale ($1.50) finished almost 10 lengths back in the first (1000 metres).
Eamonn Tiernan is a sports reporter with The Canberra Times
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