Two blueblood juvenile fillies by champion sires from Group I winning mares made the two year-old event at Morphettville on Saturday a watch race and they duly ran the quinella.
By I Am Invincible from Group I winner Snitzerland, Chisholm started favourite on the strength of her only previous outing which produced a second to Within the Law in the $500,000 RL Inglis Banner last spring.
The Mick Price and Michael Kent Jr trained filly came up short though when the Shane Nichols trained Esha scored a dazzling debut win.
By Extreme Choice from Nichols former stable favourite and Group I winner I Am a Star, Esha looked to have some serious potential when skipping away her main rival to win the 1000m dash by more than three lengths in a slick 57.47 seconds with Jessica Tzaferis in the saddle.
“She’s only going to improve,” said Nichols.
“She didn’t get much peace through the middle stages with the Price horse [Chisholm] on her outside, but once Jess improved her position she was strong through the line.
“The last three [furlongs] in 33.72 on a track with good grass cover — it was impressive. I Am A Star came over here and won the National Stakes as a two-year-old and ran third in a Group 1 mares’ sprint. So, it’s nice to see her third foal come here and win so convincingly.”
Esha was a $900,000 Magic Millions purchase from Newgate Farm for Kia Ora Stud/Shane Nichols Racing and runs for Kia Ora in partnership with Matthew Sandblom, who also bred the filly and raced her dam.
Esha is the second winner for I Am a Star, whose yearling filly by Extreme Choice was sold at Magic Millions this year for $400,000 to Anthony Cummings and she produced another filly by the fertility troubled sire last spring.
Extreme Choice has had an amazing season producing two new G1 winners in Melbourne Cup hero Knight’s Choice and Blue Diamond winner Devil Night.
Esha is his third two year-old winner this season from just nine starters and the other two are Devil Night and Group III ATC Gimcrack Stakes winner Bel Merci.
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