Group Three Winner for Stratum

Talented Stratum mare Egyptian Symbol went to a new level when taking out the Group III ATC The Nivison at Randwick on Saturday with a dominant victory as favourite.

Egyptian Symbol was having her first run back from a spell and blew her rivals away to win the 1200 metre sprint by a length and a quarter.

“I thought she was spot on going into today and it was a great ride by Jason (Collett),” said her trainer Bjorn Baker.

“She’ll improve for that and her track work suggests she’s better than what we’ve seen and I think she’ll go to another level.

“The best is yet to come, she’s a bit scopey mare that’s taken a bit of time to fill into herself.”

Baker will wait before deciding on Egyptian Symbol’s next start but has a plethora of options including a trip south for the back end of the Melbourne spring and a freshen-up for the lucrative Magic Millions meeting on the Gold Coast in January.

“We may go to Melbourne – we’ll just see how she comes through today,” Baker said.

“Of course she’s a Magic Millions horse as well and then you’ve got to think about the Sydney in the autumn.

“So we’ll just take it one step at a time.”

Bred and retained by Bruce Neill’s Cressfield after passing in at the Magic Millions National Yearling Sale, Egyptian Symbol has won four of 11 starts earning over $428,000 in prizemoney.

She is the best of five winners from former glamour mare Our Egyptian Raine, a Group I winner in New Zealand, who placed in no fewer than nine Group I races in Australia.

Egyptian Symbol is the 31st stakes-winner for former Widden Stud stalwart Stratum, who passed away last month.