Bendigo trainer Shane Fliedner celebrated his first win of 2021 when staying mare Queen Guinevere broke through for her maiden city win at Sandown on Wednesday.
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Ridden by Fliedner's nephew Harry Coffey, Queen Quinevere finished hard from back in the field to score her fifth career victory in the Ladbrokes Back Yourself Handicap (2100m).
The win came on the back of a second placing in the Marong Cup at Bendigo earlier this month.
"She does a lot of things wrong and she needs a lot of things to go her way...but next preparation she'll be better,'' Fliedner told racing.com after the win.
"This looked a lovely race for her and everything worked out well."
It was Fliedner's first victory since Queen Quinevere won at Wangaratta in November.
Purchased for just $13,500 as a yearling, five-year-old Queen Guinevere has now won more than $130,000 in prizemoney.
"If I had another few like her I would be happy,'' Fliedner said.
"They say she hasn't had a spell for a long time, but we just give her a month out in the box because she doesn't like being in the paddock.
"She's a gem in the stable and easy to train."
Fliedner, who was confident Queen Guinevere's best racing would come as a six-year-old, lauded Coffey for his winning ride.
"Love putting Harry on, he doesn't suit every horse, but he's a good, patient rider and he's always trying."
Coffey was impressed by the way Queen Quinevere finished off the race.
"It was a weakish race, but I like the way she did it,'' Coffey said.
"It was good to get a city win for her because it makes her a little bit more valuable as a broodmare and she doesn't have the worst breeding.
"I'm of the opinion that she needs to be left alone early in her races and left for one last crack at them.
"It can make you vulnerable in these staying races because you're dictated to by the pace up in front, but as you saw today in the smaller field she was able to gather them up quickly and she can finish off her races when left alone early."
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