The Adelaide filly led from start to finish and had an impressive five and a half length margin over her rivals in Victoria’s most unique race – the only clockwise event run in the southern states.
Trainer Lloyd Kennewell, who purchased the filly for $85,000 at March’s Magic Millions Adelaide Yearling Sale, is now looking at the $2 million Magic Millions 2YO Classic at the Gold Coast in January with his latest stable star.
“For a little filly she’s really done everything right,” Kennewell said. “She had one jump out before her first defeat and she’s come on since then.”
“Congratulations to Santo Guagliardo – he’s my biggest and best owner and a champion bloke who’ll be watching back in Perth and we look like we’ve got a runner on the Gold Coast.”
“We’ve now won Magic Millions races on the Gold Coast, Adelaide and in Melbourne (at Ballarat) now,” Kennewell added.
La Pomme De Pin was sent out one of the popular elects in the Clockwise Classic on the strength of her debut run in Adelaide, when she was gunned down in the final metres by subsequent Merson Cooper Stakes winner Long Leaf.
Winning rider Joe Bowditch was impressed with the performance of La Pomme De Pin and was hoping she could extend to a strong six furlongs for the $2 million Gold Coast feature on January 13.
“Her great asset is her speed and that is what won her the race today,” Bowditch said. “She’s going to need to learn how to settle to go the whole way.”
La Pomme De Pin joined the Kennewell stables at Morphettville after connections bid to $85,000 to secure her at the home town yearling sale for the trainer.
The daughter of I Am Invincible was bred at Yarraman Park Stud and was sold on their behalf through the draft of Attunga Stud in Adelaide in March during Day One of the popular auction.
She is the fourth winner for her dam, the winning and Sydney placed Danehill mare Crimson Lane, a daughter of stakes winner Crimson Road and half sister to the almost $1 million earner Crimson Reign.
Meanwhile, the dream Melbourne Spring Carnival for Sydney trainers Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott continued when stakes winning filly Debonairly won the $100,000 Magic Millions Ballarat 3&4YO Classic (1100m) later in the day.
With Stephen Baster in the saddle, Debonairly led virtually throughout for a strong win over high credentialed rivals Divine Quality and Senor Gaudi.
Bred by Tony Santic in Victoria, Debonairly was sold through the draft of Milburn Creek at the 2016 Gold Coast Yearling Sale to Waterhouse in conjunction with leading American based agent Marette Farrell for $320,000.
A stakes winner of the Woodlands Stakes at Scone, the daughter of Snitzel is a valuable breeding prospect for when her racing days are over. But that is some way off now and the filly will most likely head for the $10 million Magic Millions Raceday on January 13.
From the Singspiel mare Crystal Choir, Debonairly is a half sister to the Quezette and Merson Cooper Stakes winner Corsaire.
