A heavy 10 at Warwick Farm on Wednesday led to an avalanche of scratchings and for those runners that remained to brave the conditions it was survival of the fittest with Exceedance posting a winning double.
The John Sargent trained two year-old filly Change My Address had shown nice ability at the trials including a last start trial win on a heavy track, so punters rallied behind her and under a cool ride from Molly Bourke she got the job done.
Change My Address travelled well and surged to the line when the going got tough to win the 1100m maiden by more than a length.
“I saw this filly at the parades about a month before the sale and she stood out to me and then when she got passed in, I bought her online, so it's a great result to get that result at her first start,” said John Sargent, who was always confident about her handling the conditions.
“I think the sire and the dam both liked the wet and that ground out there is probably perfect for her.
“She'll probably carry on for another run or two while these conditions are around and then give her a break. I won't push her too far and then we can look to the spring.”
Change My Address was a $15,000 Inglis Australian Weanling purchase from Sledmere Stud that was re-offered as a yearling at Magic Millions and passed in with John Sargent later securing her privately.
Bred by Rifa Mustang, Change My Address is the first foal of Liberata , a winning half-sister by Sebring to Group II VRC Matriarch Stakes winner Jessy Belle.
Liberata had a filly last year by Farnan and then went to King’s Gambit.
Exceedance made it a winning double later in the day when the Team Hawkes trained three year-old gelding Apex took out the Benchmark 72 event over 1100m.
Exceedance stands at a fee of $33,000 at Vinery this spring.
