A winner of four from six, three at stakes level highlighted by the rescheduled Group 3 Fred Best Classic (1350m), the Toby Edmonds & Stephen McLean trained Spicy Martini (Justify) will now head to the Group 1 Stradbroke with just 49.5kgs on her back – not bad for an $8,000 online yearling purchase!
After persistent rain last Saturday, the decision was made to postpone the final four races of the meeting with the Fred Best Classic moved to Wednesday and the remainder to be run this Saturday.
Disappointing last time out in the Group 3 Gold Coast Guineas where she started second favourite off the back of victory in the Listed Mick Dittman Plate, Spicy Martini started on the third line of betting in Wednesday's race with Gold Coast Guineas winner Bosustow (Blue Point) jumping away the favourite.
Jockey Craig Williams ensured the filly was away well from the barriers, going forward to settle in fourth position as the field rounded the first bend.
Peter Snowden’s last start Group 3 Hawkesbury Guineas winner Media World (Written Tycoon) took the lead, with the Philip Stokes-trained second favourite Stay Focused (Cosmic Force) making sure the Yulong owned runner wouldn’t get it all his own way in front.
With the leading duo skipping a few lengths ahead, it was evident as the home turn was reached that Stay Focused had put up the white flag as Media World kicked strongly.
Coming off the back of the leaders and commencing her run, Spicy Martini set out after Media World where she chased him down, taking the lead to win by a narrow margin.
Coming home well after not getting a lot of room when needed, Godolphin’s Pisces (Frosted) finished a half-length back in third.
Although a gap opened and Bosustow presented himself ready to challenge, the Group 1 placed colt failed to accelerate as expected and finished in sixth position.
Edmonds is now hoping to progress to the Stradbroke after the win.
"She's workmanlike, there's nothing flash about her at all, she's honest," Edmonds said.
"We found her online. We wanted to buy a Justify filly, but they were too dear. They (Coolmore) couldn't put her through the sale, so she's just one that got away.
"She's a filly that's got quite a few issues and takes a lot of managing but she does well."
Set to carry just 49.5kg in the Stradbroke, Williams feels the confidence of today’s win will clearly give the filly another boost heading into the Group 1 assignment.
“Toby presented her really well with his team," said Williams.
"Everyone that's in this race today had the challenge of being there on Saturday and coming back here today. It’s a great initiative by Queensland Racing to make sure they can program it so their horse here is exempt from ballot for the Stradbroke."
“So Toby and his team have 10 days to get her there in good form. She's a good, tough horse with no weight, makes her own luck. So she's definitely going there with a realistic chance.”
Bred by Coolmore Stud, Spicy Martini is the first stakes-winner from the Group 3 Vanity Stakes placed Redoute’s Choice mare Extra Olives, the dam of four winners from four to the races.
From the family of the four-time Group 1-winning Champion Filly Alinghi (Encosta de Lago), Extra Olives has a yearling colt and weanling filly both by I Am Invincible’s dual Group 1 winner Home Affairs and is due to foal in the spring to St Mark's Basilica (FR).
The sire of 46 stakes winners, Justify is unfortunately not shuttling to Australia this season, but is available at Coolmore America for southern hemisphere time covers.
Justify’s four-time Group 1-winning, Champion son City of Troy (USA) will shuttle to Coolmore Australia in the spring where he will cover his first book of mares at a fee of $49,500 (inc. GST).
