Regimental Gal Snatches Lightning Stakes Win

The military stamped Australia's speed championship in Melbourne on Feb. 9. The cavalry arrived in the nick of time as Regimental Gal rushed down Flemington's grandstand rail to collar the 13-4 favorite Our Egyptian Raine (by Desert Sun) at the wire in the Lightning Stakes (Aust-I).

A daughter of General Nediym, the winning Gal (9-2) emulated her dad's spectacular win in the major $400,000 (Australian funds) 1,000 meters sprint six years earlier.

Such was the 3 year-old Queensland filly's finishing speed under Stephen King that, although she grabbed the older distaffer almost at the wire, her winning margin was a neck.

Mistegic fought on gamely for his third of the 12 runners, 1 3/4 lengths away. He had finished second to the eighth-placed Spinning Hill two years earlier.

The :57.02 time was 12/100ths slower than Choisir took to dispose of his elders in last year's Lightning, before his successful English sortie.

A $16,500 yearling purchase by her Toowoomba trainer Shaun Dwyer, Regimental Gal has collected over $1.17 million from six wins in eight starts.

General Nediym has had several changes of location since entering stud in 1998. The swift son of Shareef Dancer horse Nediym joins the strong Widden Stud roster next spring.