Coming off a last start victory in the Listed SAJC Lightning Stakes at Morphettville, the Tom Dabernig trained Cavalry Girl was simply too classy at Caulfield on Saturday, as the daughter Bivouac charged clear for another impressive win.
Sent out the favourite in the small field of six agianst the older runners, jockey Linda Meech jumped Cavalry Girl away well from the gates with the daughter of Bivouac going forward to sit on the outside of Anthony and Sam Freedman’s Chinqui who took up the running from the inside barrier.
Racing one off the rail, Cavalry Girl appeared to be travelling comfortably on the pace and as she headed into the final bend, the runner on her inside dropped off as the stakes winner went for home.
Giving nothing else a chance in the run to the line as she kicked into gear with an amazing turn of foot, Cavalry Girl pulled clear to win by three and three quarter lengths.
Finishing back in second was the Michael and Luke Cerchi trained Along the River, with Reward For Effort mare Bazaball Rewarded back in third.
A delighted O’Neill said: “She’s a marvel, isn’t she?”
“She’s giving her owners a terrific run
“She annihilated them the other day. I was a bit worried today against the older horses, but where are they?
“She can only do what she’s doing. She’s winning, and she’s belting them. She’s not just winning; she’s absolutely annihilating them.”
Although she has raced five times this time in, O’Neill feels the filly will have a short break before coming back for some racing in the spring.
“We think we might just step back, she’s had a pretty good prep. You can go to the well once too often,” he said.
“She loves the straight at Flemington, so a race there during Melbourne Cup week would be nice.
“We’ll just see, there’s options.”
With six wins and four placed efforts from 16 starts with earnings of $399,895, Cavalry Girl was a $110,000 purchase for Joe O’Neill’s Prime Thoroughbreds Pty Ltd from the Vinery Stud draft at the Inglis Classic Yearling Sale.
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 last season’s G1 ATC Sires’ Produce Stakes winner Campione D’Italia as well as the G3 winner Espionage, who is standing 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 is due to foal this season to G1 Golden Slipper winner Shinzo.
A double on the Caulfield card for Bivouac with Danny O’Brien’s Davida winning the very next race, the multiple G1-winning son of Exceed And Excel has commenced his stud career in style, having produced 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).
