Regal Cheer also provided her trainer, Joe Pride, his second career group one victory, following Red Oog’s win in last year's Doomben 10,000.

The finish had a distinct Queensland theme to it, with Regal Cheer, ridden by the Brisbane based rider Michael Rodd, holding out the fast finishing Toowoomba mare Star Shiraz.

As she did two weeks earlier at Warwick Farm when she raced on the speed to score a very good win in the group two Surround Stakes, Regal Cheer settled on the speed for Rodd. Breezey took the field along at a solid tempo with Rodd giving Regal Cheer the run of the race, leaving the rail at the top of the straight and sprinting home hard to safely hold off the challenge of Star Shiraz.

Mnemosyne made ground late for third another long neck away.

Pride said after the race, “At the start of her campaign this was a dream.”

"I thought that if we could win the Surround Stakes we’d be doing well and this is a bonus.”

Not many three-year-olds take on the older mares and win. In doing so Regal Cheer showed her class.

Pride will now consider targeting the Queen Of The Turf in two weeks time or the All-Aged Stakes.

Arena stands at Lomar Park Stud run by Fred Peisah who bred and sold Regal Cheer as a yearling at the 2004 Magic Millions Gold Coast Premier Sale for $85,000.

Lomar gave the son of Danehill a platform to launch his new career attracting good, solid books of more than 70 mares in his first four seasons. With Peisah showing faith in Arena sending many of his own mares to him.

Arena has since proved one of the finds of the sales series with 108 yearlings going through the major auction sale rings’ since 2002 with 79 of them selling for an average of $34,500.

Arena’s dam is the Group I SAJC Oaks winner Lee’s Bid, by the Blushing Groom son Tawfiq, she has also produced the Group 3 AJC Summer Cup runner-up, Ocho (by Octagonal).

As a racehorse, Arena chalked up six wins during his classic year with wins in the Group I VRC Derby and Canterbury Guineas the Group 2 Hobartville, Gloaming and Hill Stakes. He was also runner-up in the AJC Derby, Australian Cup and the Mercedes Classic all group one events. He retired as the winner of $2.25million.

With Regal Cheer leading the way, to date, Arena has produced 47 individual winners from 97 to race with four stakes placegetters with progeny earnings of $2.1 million. Last spring breeders’ could have had a mare covered by Arena for only $13,750 (inc gst).

Stallions.com