Fillydelphia in fine form (Noel Pascoe photo).
Clear Mountain Fairview breaker graduate and resident speller Fillydelphia, overcame a last start nightmare to finish first in the www.menofleague.com.au QTIS 3YO Handicap 1615m at Doomben on Saturday, August 21.
Fillydelphia loomed up ominously in the straight at Eagle Farm two weeks prior only to be at the end of a domino effect from inside horses, dislodging apprentice Mitchell Speers in spectacular fashion.
Speers toppled into fellow apprentice Luke Rolls, onboard Care Bear, who also crashed to the ground.
The fall left Speers and Rolls motionless on the turf for moments and both jockeys were transported to hospital for precautionary reasons.
The Robert Heathcote-trained Fillydelphia was obviously mentally ready for redemption at Doomben on August 21 repaying punters who sent out the hot race favourite at $1.35.
Heathcote knows his filly has much more to offer her connections, despite a rapid maturing over the past three months.
“As Larry said there is a very nice race in this horse,” the trainer said.
“I’ve said it in the past, any horse, be it Fillydelphia, Buffering or Tabulate, they’ve all got this quality, the ability to change gear and sprint. That is essential in good horses…and that’s what this filly seems to have.
“She is a really good example of how a young horse can mature. She was unplaced at her first two runs, then ran third in a Maiden in town, and then second in a Maiden at Ipswich.
“All of a sudden she could have conceivably won five from five all in town.”
Jockey Larry Cassidy was reassigned to the three-year-old filly after returning from a holiday and looked in control immediately from barrier three.
Fillydelphia by Bianconi, out of the Encosta de Lago mare Edel Vanessa, was assigned 58 kilograms as the topweight but looked untroubled taking up her customary role towards the rear of the field.
Avoiding trouble, Cassidy had the filly purring with 300 metres to travel and let down mightily to post a comfortable four length victory for Heathcote and Tingalpa owners Franz Wolber and Pauline Stephens.
“We’ve managed to dodge a few bullets with a few kids falling off. We’ll put them down in the scrapbook as another racing incident,” Heathcote said jokingly after Fillydelphia returned to the winner’s circle.
“She’s flying and there’s no doubt she’s a quality filly.
“The way the race was run on Saturday certainly played into Larry’s hands. The times clearly showed that they walked early in the race and then it was a no-brainer that she would sprint away and won by four lengths.”
This marked win number four from nine starts for Fillydelphia after the three-year-old took her time to mature early in her racing career.
Heathcote ruled out the possibility of heading to Melbourne’s Spring Carnival, looking more favourably to the Queensland Winter Racing Carnival in 2011 after a healthy spell for Fillydelphia in two weeks time.
The three-year-old could be aimed at the Group 1 Queensland Oaks if her trainer believes she will handle the 2400 metre distance.