Patience Pays for Miss Marion
- Monday, 07 October 2002 00:00
Miss Marion repaid her connections for a great
deal of patience when she scored an impressive win on debut in todays Collins Dental
Image Sprint (1000m) down the straight at Flemington today.With Stephen Baster riding hard, Miss Marion (Success Express-Golden Deed) was able to hold off the challenge of the warm favourite Dual Spark, a filly who chased home the brilliant filly Innovation Girl at her last start.
A $30,000 yearling at the 2001 Melbourne Premier Sale, Miss Marion made up for her earlier problems by winning her connections all but $500 of her purchase price back today with the combined total of the first stakes money and a Super Vobis bonus of $10,000.
"She was ready to start as an early two-year-old," her Flemington based trainer Steve McKinnon reflected today. "We were even thinking of aiming her for the Debutant Stakes."
"But she went shinny and then in the autumn we had to send her out again when she tore a muscle in her hind quarter."
McKinnon said the striking looking filly had shown him early that she possessed a great deal of natural ability.
"I really liked her as a type as a yearling at the sale," he said. "And her pedigree was quite nice too."
Miss Marion, a daughter of the now Victorian based Success Express, is from the twice Flemington stakes placed Jevington mare Golden Deed. That makes her a member of the family of the Group One Karrakatta Plate winner Golden Unicorn.
Connections are hoping the three-year-old can continue to take her step through the ranks.
"We probably should have took a softer option with her and run her in a maiden and have a good bet on her," he said. "But that wouldnt help in trying to get in the better races with her."
"Theres still plenty of improvement in her and she might be able to get 1400 metres as she settles well and seems to do everything right."
Dual Spark, who was unbeaten in two starts in Melbourne before a second placing to Innovation Girl in the Group Three Dermody Stakes in Adelaide, chased hard but was unable to peg back the winner down the straight.
Bold Cheree, who was coming off an impressive Class 4 win at Moe, battled away well to finish third ahead of the Alan Bailey trained Group One placegetter Saddlers Silk.
