Highly regarded by the stable, the Shamus Award filly Swats That made a hugely impressive debut in Saturday’ s $250,000 Smartline Bendigo VOBIS Gold Rush (1000m) at Bendigo.
Settled back midfield by John Allen, the Leon and Troy Corstens-trained filly came with a barnstorming finish to defeat the luckless, Pride Of Dubai filly, Bella Nipotina, who had been caught for wide the trip, by one and three-quarter lengths with the Rubick filly Masseuse the same distance back in third.
“She’s a nice filly. I’ve ridden her in a couple of jump outs, it’s hard to get a real gauge but she’d done everything nicely,” Allen said.
“She was never really taken off the bridle, so it was hard to get a real gauge of how good she is.”
Leon Corstens was surprised his filly had not shown a lot of zip early but was impressed with the way she finished.
“I thought she’d be a bit more on the pace than she was. There were no instructions. He’s (Allen) ridden the filly in two trials, so he knew what to do,” Corstens said.
“You really like to see them race like she did - off the pace whereas in the trial she went to the front and stayed there. Today she was off the pace and worked home well. We’re hoping (she’s got a lot more in her).”
“She gave me a nice feel and it was pretty easy today. Good effort.”
A sister to 2-time winner My Sweet Fish, Swats That is the second foal of the unraced Bel Esprit mare Is It A Mosquito whose dam Yes I Will (USA) (Danzig) is a daughter of the great racemare Let’s Elope.
A daughter of Nassipour (USA), Let’s Elope won 11 races including the Caulfield Cup – Melbourne Cup double in 1991.
It A Mosquito has a yearling filly by Shamus Award and a filly foal by Trust In A Gust.
Purchased by Glenrae Stud for $5,500 at the 2018 Inglis Great Southern Sale, It A Mosquito and was covered by Jimmy Creed (USA) last spring.
