Sprightly Lass showed she is no one-trick pony by overcoming a wide run to win her second stakes in a fortnight in Saturday's Group III D C McKay Stakes (1100m) at Morphettville, a race co-trainer Wayne Hawkes said was an afterthought.
The gorgeous chestnut daughter of Snitzel has led up in nearly all of her previous seven starts but Dwayne Dunn happy to let the 4yo get into her rhythm from a wide barrier.
When he asked the 4yo mare for the supreme effort, the response was immediate and she came away to defeat One More Daisy (Onemorenomore) by one and a quarter lengths with Santa Ana Lane (Lope De Vega) a short-half-head back in third.
"She's done her job this autumn and this was her grand final," Wayne Hawkes, who trains in partnership with father John and brother Wayne, said."
"To be truthful this was an afterthought and you don't get away with that many times.
"Races like the Moir Stakes and Schillaci Stakes are the sought of races for her and I know, long-term, dad thinks the Oakleigh Plate is the race for her.
"It was a big effort because you don't sit three deep in any class, pulling your head off and still win the way she did, she's a really good filly."
Winner of the Listed Bel Esprit Stakes at Caulfield at her most recent start (photo Grant Courtney )), Sprightly Lass advances her record to 6 wins and 2 seconds from 8 starts with earnings of $321,390.
A sister the Listed Canterbury Classic winner Le Cordon Bleu, Sprightly Lass was purchased by Hawkes Racing for $250,000 out of the Luskin Park drat at the 2015 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale. She is the fifth living foal out of the stakes-winning Gold Fever mare Ultimate Fever.
A brother to Sprightly Lass was knocked down to China Horse Club/Newgate TS/Winstar for $925,000 at the 2017 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.
Named Stratosphere, the 2yo colt has made just one start to date finishing a promising second to the accomplished Performer in the Canonbury Stakes back on February 3.
Ultimate Fever's yearling colt by Smart Missile was purchased by Snowden Racing for $260,000 at the Magic Millions in January.
Ultimate Fever has a weanling filly by Hinchinbrook but failed to conceive to coverings by Hinchinbrook and Flying Artie last spring.
