Tony and Calvin McEvoy have always held Home Affairs filly Natural Fling in the highest regard and after winning the $200,000 Group III MRC Quezette Stakes (1100m) at Caulfield on Saturday she earned comparisons to the stable’s Champion 3YO Filly Sunlight.
Natural Fling was a facile debut winner at Caulfield over the same trip back in May before she ventured to the Gold Coast for the $1million Magic Millions National 2YO Classic (1000m) in which she ran second to expensive Snitzel colt The Next Episode.
First up from a spell since that run, Natural Fling controlled the race from the outset under Damian Lane and sped away from her rivals after turning for home to win by four lengths over Scintillation and Oh Yes She Did.
Her time of 1:03.91 was half a second quicker than the Group III MRC Vain Stakes for the colts and geldings won by Hard Kick.
"We had to pay good money for her at the sales, but we have really good owners in her and they stumped up the cash to buy into a Home Affairs filly," Calvin McEvoy said.
"These colours are famous within our stables and we've always had her at the front of the bus in our team of two-year-olds and now three-year-olds, and her trial was fantastic, so for her to come here and back it up in a great race, it's so pleasing.
"She's grown up this preparation and she was impressive, she put a gap on a quality field.”
The McEvoy stable won the G3 Quezette in 2018 with Sunlight and three starts later she won the Group I VRC Coolmore Stud Stakes beating the colts.
“We won this race with a filly (Sunlight) that carried the same colours, who was very good, and this filly may be like her,” McEvoy added and then revealed where Natural Fling is headed this spring
"There is the Cap D'antibes (Listed, September 12) which comes up at Flemington, there is the Coolmore (G1)which would be a great race to win, and we may even consider the Moir (G1) with no weight," McEvoy said.
"They are all good options. She is now a Group winner which is so important for the pedigree and I don't think that is the end for her."
Natural Fling was a $550,000 Magic Millions purchase from the Yarraman Park draft for McEvoy Mitchell Racing/Belmont Bloodstock Agency and has the overall record of two wins from three starts with over $384,000 in prizemoney.
Natural Fling was bred by Australian Bloodstock, foaled and raised at Yarraman Park and is a half-sister to Group III placed Wootton Lass.
She is the second winner from The Natural, a winning half-sister by Fastnet Rock to dual Group I winner Fiveandahalfstar and to the dam of Group I winner El Castello.
The Natural has a 2YO colt by Brave Smash (Jpn) that was sold in the Yarraman Park draft at Inglis Classic for $300,000 to Graham Begg Racing / Rohan Hughes Bloodstock.
She had no foal last year after missing to I Am Invincible and was covered last spring by Too Darn Hot (GB).
Natural Fling is the fifth stakes-winner for reigning Champion Australian First Season Sire Home Affairs, who had his service fee raised at Coolmore this spring to $176,000.
