A change of scenery seems to have worked wonders with blue blooded three year-old Exceed and Excel filly Covent Garden, the half-sister to world champion racehorse Winx opening her account on Tuesday at Pakenham at her first start for new trainer Peter Moody.
Previously trained in Sydney by Chris Waller, Covent Garden had placed only once in five previous starts, disappointing on the early potential she showed at the trials.
Having her first start since finishing last at Newcastle back in February, Covent Garden was ridden forward by Mark Zahra to lead and kept up a good gallop to win the 1400m maiden by a length and a half.
“It’s important with a filly of her pedigree to make her a winner. She’s a lovely type of filly and has furnished out in the time we’ve had her, so she’s probably going to be a nicer mare again in time,” said Peter Moody.
Retained to race by her breeder John Camilleri of Fairway Thoroughbreds, Covent Garden was foaled and raised at Segenhoe and is a half-sister to $26million earner Winx and ill-fated Group III winner El Divino and is the third winner from stakes-winner Vegas Showgirl.
Vegas Showgirl has a yearling filly by Deep Impact, a weanling filly by I Am Invincible and was covered last spring by Street Cry’s son Pride of Dubai, so the resulting foal will be a three-quarter sibling to Winx, who is by Street Cry.
