Jumping away the race favourite off the back of her consistent recent form, 3yo Bivouac filly Cavalry Girl gave nothing else a chance, charging away to win the $120,000 Listed SAJC Lightning Stakes (1050m) at Morphettville by four and a half lengths.
A last start second, beaten a length by Signature Scent at Caulfield, the Tom Dabernig trained filly was away quickly from the gates under Todd Pannell, crossing the field to take up the running.
With Never Ordinary sitting in second along with Headwater filly Bardigrub in third, the sectionals were suggesting the leader was getting a cosy run upfront.
With Bardigrub coming off the leader’s heels to commence her run, it appeared too little, too late as Pannell skipped clear on the Bivouac filly, two, three, four lengths clear.
As the line was reached, Cavalry Girl held a four and a half length margin on the Tim Fitzsimmons trained Doubtland filly Yuuki who had weaved a passage from third last to take second.
Holding on for third was the Richard and Chantelle Jolly trained Bardigrub with Home Affairs filly Jacaranda taking fourth.
Taking her records to five wins and four placed efforts from 15 starts with earnings of $317,395, Cavalry Girl was a $110,000 purchase for Prime Thoroughbreds Pty Ltd from the Vinery Stud draft at the Inglis Classic Yearling Sale.
With previous winners of the race including Champion and Horse of the Year Nature Strip, as well as future G1 winner Viddora, it will be interesting to follow Cavalry Girl and see how far she can progress.
Bred by Patrick Hodgens and Bill Piper, Cavalry Girl is the first foal of Islands, a winning half-sister by I Am Invincible to G2 winner and Magic Millions 2YO Classic winner Military Rose, the granddam of this season’s G1 ATC Sires’ Produce Stakes winner Campione D’Italia as well as the G3 winner Espionage, who will interestingly stand his first season at Lovatsville for a fee of $11,000 (inc. GST).
The second foal of Islands is the unraced The Autumn Sun filly Pacifico in the stable of Bjorn Baker while the third foal of the mare is the unraced Russian Revolution filly My Island Girl.
Island was covered by G1 Golden Slipper winner Shinzo in the spring with the resultant foal now set to be a half relation to a stakes winner!
With his oldest runners set to turn four in a few weeks, the multiple G1 winner Bivouac has made a very promising start to his career as the sire of eight stakes winners headed by G1 winners Beiwacht and Fireball Miss.
Successful in three elite level races including the G1 Golden Rose, just like his multiple G1 winning son Beiwacht, Bivouac is set to stand at Darley Kelvinside in the spring at a fee of $33,000 (inc. GST).
