Victorian filly Absolut Glam will continue her march towards further Group One glory during the spring following her stunning victory at the elite level in the Winter Stakes at Eagle Farm.
Absolut Glam ($4.40 fav) cruised to an easy 1-1/4 length win over Newcastle mare Fritz's Princess ($6.50) in the 1400-metre feature to give jockey James Winks his first Group One victory since he began riding six years ago.
Alverta ($11) was a further neck away third.
Absolut Glam's win was the third Group One success this season for trainer Danny O'Brien who claimed his three-year-old should have won the $1 million Stradbroke Handicap (1400m) at Eagle Farm at her previous start.
The daughter of Snowland finished on the heels of the Stradbroke placegetters in fourth place.
Winks, 24, was almost speechless following his Winter Stakes triumph.
"I can't explain it. I've dreamt about winning a Group One since I was a kid," Winks said.
Winks' best previous result was a second on Douro Valley in last year's Caulfield Cup and a win in the Group Two Salinger Stakes on the Bart Cummings-trained Swick.
The Winter Stakes was O'Brien's ninth at the elite level, which included last year's Caulfield Cup with Master O'Reilly, and his second Winter Stakes.
"I've got no doubt this filly would have won the Stradbroke had she drawn better," O'Brien said.
"She was drawn off the track in the Stradbroke but she showed what she can do with a good alley today."
O'Brien, who earlier today won the Group Three Tattersall's Cup (2200m) on protest with Ballack, praised Winks who gave a perfect exhibition on Absolut Glam.
"He's a very good rider and is going places," O'Brien said.
"His ride in the Caulfield Cup last year when he rode Douro Valley was outstanding."
O'Brien, who paid $150,000 for Absolut Glam as a yearling at the Gold Coast Magic Millions sales, has earmarked an ambitious spring program for the filly.
"She deserved to win a Group One," he said.
"For a three-year-old filly to win like this was fantastic.
"She doesn't have anything more to prove now she's won a Group One and she'll be better next season.
"I'll give her a break now and set her for the Myer Classic and the Emirates in the spring."
O'Brien also praised Queensland Racing Limited for programming the Winter Stakes as the last Group One race of the season.
"I won this race in 2001 with Porto Roca when I had just started training and had three horses in work," he said.
"It's been a good year. I've won three Group Ones this season in the Caulfield Cup, Robert Sangster (Juste Momente) and now this."
Trainer Kris Lees and jockey Dale Spriggs were delighted with Fritz's Princess effort.
"We had to wait for Alverta to get out in the straight but she had a lovely run and tried her heart out," Spriggs said.作者:
S.WEEK 時間: 23/6/2008 12:10 PM
