Punters were off to a fast start on Jericho Cup day when the Archie Alexander-trained Jealice opened her winning account in the APCO Service Stations Harry Bell 3YO Maiden Plate at Warrnambool, which would have been warmly welcomed at Yarraman Park who will consign her full-brother to the Inglis Classic Yearling Sale next February.
Heavily backed on the strength of a close-up second at Bendigo at her most recent start, the daughter of Hinchinbrook pounced on the leader I Dream Of Jena shortly after turning for home and was untroubled to defeat the fast-finishing Intellective (Toronado) by two and a quarter lengths with I Dream Of Jena (Fighting Sun) a length and a quarter back in third.
Winning rider Neil Farley said Jealice deserved to breakthrough.
“She had the best form coming in to the race today. We’ve always thought a lot of her - she didn’t have the best of runs being caught three-wide the trip but I think I followed the right horse into the straight and once I asked for an effort she quickened up well,” Farley said.
A homebred for Miller Thoroughbreds, Jealice is the third winner from as many foals out of the unraced Montjeu mare Silent Eyes (GB) whose pedigree page has improved immensely since she was purchased by Peter Ford Thoroughbreds for 9,000 guineas out of the Juddmonte draft at the 2010 December Broodmare Sale.
Smokey Eyes' half-brother Ice Breeze (Nayef) was honoured as the Champion Stayer in France in 2017 following his win in the Group 1 Prix Royal Oak at Saint-Cloud while another half-brother Snow Sky (Nayef) numbered the Group II Yorkshire Cup and Group II Hardwicke Stakes among his five wins.
Besides her yearling colt from the final crop of Hinchinbrook heading to the Inglis Classic, Silent Eyes (GB) has a 2yo filly by Choisir and on August 19 foaled a colt by the Triple Crown winner American Pharaoh (USA).
