The Mark Minervini trained two-year-old-filly Splash Of Moet (2f Dash For Cash – Storm Tossed) has kicked off her career in slashing style, scoring in the Holdfast Insurance 2YOF 0-68 Handicap over 1050m at Morphettville today.
A $42,500 purchase by Kevin Dagg Bloodstock, from the 2011 Magic Millions Adelaide Yearling Sale, Splash Of Moet went into today's event on the back of some good trial form back in January, and the stable showed their confidence in the filly, by backing her from 14s into a starting price of 9s on track.
Jumping from gate eleven over the short-course, the filly bounded from the gates, and quickly made a bee-line for the front, and after a couple of hundred yards, she had raced to a clear lead.
Cahill kept her off the fence for the entire trip, and whilst she held a length lead for much of the journey, Exalted Rose was always within arms length on her inside. With Splash Of Moet travelling comfortably on the bridle to the turn, Exalted Rose tried in vain to match strides with the Splash Of Moet, but quickly raised the white flag.
A quick look to the left, a quick look to the right and Cahill suddenly found himself the one they all had to run down, and it was left to the Peter Moody-trained favourite Galvez, who had been stalking the two leaders, to settle down and fight the race out.
Just as Galvez levelled up with Splash Of Moet, the filly responded and dug-in for the fight, scorching away to record a very impressive 2.25 length win.
This is one filly with a bright future! Having done the bulk of the work, carting the field up to the turn, Splash Of Moet was still able to clearly run the quickest last 200m, in 12.01 seconds, and the fact she was able to career away from a runner with experience, who had placed in town in Melbourne, from a leading stable is tick, tick, tick!
Congratulations to the owners, Matthew Annells, Phil Breden, Chris Counihan, Paul Graham, Alex Kauye, Chris Lester, Ash Miller, Tim Nation, David Schiavello, Mark Schiavello, Dominic Smith, Simon Wallace, David Willis.
Daniel Borg
Trackside Media