Smart Missile featured with an early double at Warwick Farm on Wednesday with impressive maiden winner Only Mine followed by progressive three year old filly Ballistic Lover, who won a very competitive Benchmark 68 in a thrilling finish.
Never further back than fourth in her first four starts, the Joe Pride trained Ballistic Lover has come back a stronger filly this preparation winning at Wyong on when resuming last month and going on with the job here.
She hunted down the leader Malkovich, who stuck to his guns bravely before going down at the finish by a neck with the pair breaking 1.03 for the 1100m.
“She had to do all the chasing and ran down a speed horse, so I’m proud of her effort today,” said Joe Pride.
“She’s come back a better horse, although I think she’s really one for the autumn.”
Ballistic Lover was an $80,000 Magic Millions Book Two purchase from the Newgate Farm draft for Tricolours Racing & Syndications Pty Ltd and has very nearly won back her purchase price banking over $78,000 in prizemoney.
Bred by Lightning Thoroughbreds, Ballistic Lover is the first winner for She’s a Sweetheart, a half-sister by Show a Heart to Group II winner Lean Mean Machine.
The first race on the card was won by the Gooree Stud homebred Only Mine, who bolted in to win as she pleased over 1400m at her fifth start for the Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott stable.
Holding down a Top 10 spot in the leading sires list, Smart Missile has made a swift start to the new season with some 40 winners of $1.6million including stakes-winners Missile Launch and Crosshaven, who runs in the Group I MRC Caulfield Guineas this Saturday.
The son of Fastnet Rock stands at Twin Hills Stud at a fee of $22,000 this spring.
