In what is expected to be her final season of racing, Streama tallied the fourth group I win of her sparkling career by reeling in pacesetter Leebaz to take the Doomben Cup (Aus-I) May 17 in Brisbane by three-quarters of a length.
Leebaz, Streama, Junoob, Fat Al and Floria led the field of 10 throughout the 2,000-meter (about 1 14-mile) turf test, and sweeping into the home straight Leebaz made an effort to increase his lead.
In a perfectly judged move by jockey Blake Shinn, Streama, a 5-year-old Stratum mare, willingly closed the gap at the 200-meter mark and continued on for the victory as the 4-1 co-favorite.
Leebaz hung on for second, with co-favorite Junoob a long neck back in third, and Akzar fourth.
Streama covered the distance in 2:01.72 on turf rated as dead. The Doomben Cup improved her overall record to 10 wins, all in stakes, from 34 starts for Guy Walter, who trains her for a partnership. Her resume also includes a dozen stakes placings,
"She will go to stud this year, but she might have a short campaign in Sydney in the spring," Walter told The Australian.
"But it would be a good way for her to end her career. She has been so consistent all the way through her career and she has never had an unsound day. She deserved this day after racing at the top level for an extended period of time."
Beginning in 2011 with the Coolmore Flight Stakes (Aus-I), Streama has won a group I race every year. She won the 2012 Australian Oaks and the 2013 George Main Stakes, all at Randwick.
Streama came into the Doomben Cup off a win in group II race at Gold Coast, a victory that snapped a six-race winless skid dating from when she captured the George Main Sept. 21. Five of those races were at the group I level.
Bred in Australia by Brook Pastoral Ltd., Streama is out of the Sovereign Red mare Pensiamo. Second dam Given Thought is a half sister to English highweight and group I winner Hittite Glory, while the extended family includes Australian champion 2-year-old Decision Time.
