Darley Produces Another Promising Type

Saturday, 22 October 2011 04:30

The powerful Darley team produced its second talented juvenile in as many Rosehill meetings when smart filly Meidung raced to a dominant debut win on Saturday.

Two weeks earlier trainer Peter Snowden produced promising colt Tatra to win on debut and on Saturday it was Meidung ($7) who led all the way and scooted clear in the straight to take out the Harvey Norman Handicap (1100m) by 2-3/4 lengths.

Darley-owned youngsters dominated the feature juvenile races last year, claiming all five Group Ones for two-year-olds in Australia, and stable representative Brad Widdup said Meidung could race again this preparation in search of more prizemoney for when the major races come around in the autumn.

"I'm not sure what Peter will do," Widdup said.

"He likes to try to give them a couple of starts, one for experience and two for the prizemoney.

"If you can land a couple now you're virtually there for the Slipper.

"If you get the right prizemoney you're in the race. I'm not saying she's a Slipper horse but if you get the money and you're there, then you can have a crack."

Meidung started from gate two and jockey Christian Reith pushed forward and held his ground in the lead on the fence.

The filly, by young Darley stallion Bernardini, raced a bit keenly in front but exploded away in the straight with favourite Dances On Stars ($2.20) doing his best work late out wide to finish second after doing a few things wrong during the race.

The Paul Murray-trained Kyoto ($7) came in another three lengths away third.

Reith and Widdup both expect Meidung to improve significantly from her first race experience.

"She'll learn a lot from today," Reith said.

"She was a bit fizzy in the run and I expect her to improve a lot.

"She's just another nice one to come out of the yard."

Champion jockey Jim Cassidy, who partnered the favourite Dances On Stars, said the colt's best work was late.

"He went nicely but was a little bit green," Cassidy said.

"His last 200 metres was good."