An Epsom Derby winner on Saturday and a Geelong maiden winner on Sunday, the late, great Deep Impact (JPN) can do it all.
This was no ordinary winner of a 1418m fillies maiden at Geelong.
It was the highly anticipated debut of City Of Lights, a half-sister to the incomparable Winx.
Ridden by Ben Allen for Anthony & Sam Freedman, City Of Lights enjoyed a cosy under restraint. When asked for an effort, City Of Lights extended impressively to defeat the experienced Savabeel filly Booboo Boogie by one and a half lengths, with the Russian Revolution filly Kollantai a half-neck back in third.
"The plan was to have her as close as we could without taking her out of her comfort zone,' Allen said. They went at a good gallop, and she took some time to build into it, but she was good late.
"While I was off the bridle, I felt she would hit the line once I got stuck into her. She did that in her trial, so I knew she would have something late.
"She is quite a relaxed filly, but she still got a little worked up today, so patience will be good for her, and she will be better later on."
A homebred for John Camilleri's Fairway Thoroughbreds, City Of Lights is the eighth foal and fourth winner for the dual stakes-winning Al Akbar mare Vegas Showgirl.
Purchased by Colm Santry, on behalf of John Camilleri, for $455,000 at the 2008 National Broodmare Sale, Vegas Shogirl is the dam of 25-time Group 1 winner and $26,451,175 earner Winx (Street Cry), Group III ATC Kindergarten Stakes winner El Divino (Snitzel), Pakenham maiden winner Convent Garden (Exceed And Excel), and Riverbank Farm's unraced Snitzel stallion Boulder City.
Peter Moody has an unraced 2yo daughter of Vegas Showgirl named Time Of My Life by I Am Invincible, who is now spelling after impressing in two jumpouts at Pakenham.
Vegas Showgirl has a yearling Pride Of Dubai filly named Taleitaki. After missing in 2021, Vegas Showgirl was covered by Snitzel in November, having failed to conceive earlier in the season to Street Boss (USA).
Deep Impact (JPN) has left Classic winners in Japan, Australia, England, Ireland, and France.
