Last To First For Platinum Passion
- Saturday, 12 June 2010 03:58
Beautifully bred filly Platinum Passion showed her class at Flemington today, when she overcame a tardy start to win the Hilton Nicholas Handicap.
Fractious in the stalls, Platinum Passion gave rider Michelle Payne some worries when she reared as the gates opened, costing her three lengths.
Settling at the tail of the field, Payne was able to keep race favourite Winged Charm in her sights as it settled second last under Brent Evans.
"I had to go to Plan B", Payne explained.
"I was happy to follow Winged Charm. I thought she was the one to beat."
Coming to the 400 metre mark, both horses made their runs, but while Payne was able to steer Platinum Passion ($7-$10) through an opening, Evans elected to haul his horse off the heels of the horse in front, losing several lengths in the process.
Platinum Passion's uninterrupted run proved to be a winning move as while Winged Charm ($3.50-$3.80-$3.70F) ran home strongly, she failed by 1ΒΌ lengths to run down the leader. Third was Mont Fleuri ($5.50-$6.50-$6.00) only a nose behind Winged Charm.
"She really surprised me when she put paid to them at the 400", Payne said.
"When the runs came she got to them really quickly and I thought it was a really good win."
Coming off a first up win at Geelong, when ridden by stable jockey Mark Zahra, Platinum Passion maintained her unbeaten record with today's win.
"Michelle didn't panic", said Anthony Feroce, stable foreman for Platinum Passion's trainer Mike Moroney.
"She just let her find her feet and weaved her way through. A very sensible ride."
"At Geelong, Mark said she was very green, she just didn't know what she was doing so he thought he'd go forward and when she got to the front she just got lost."
"We always thought she was a better chaser and she proved that today."
Payne was awake to that advice, saying:
"It seemed to really suit her riding her cold."
"I was worried about getting to the front too soon then because she was so new."
Raced now by Auckland based Consolidated Bloodstock, Platinum Passion was purchased by Moroney's brother Paul for $300,000 at the 1998 Inglis Easter Yearling Sale.
Platinum Passion's dam, Stella Artois is a daughter of multiple Group 1 winning mare Horlicks, making her a half sister to Melbourne Cup winner Brew.
The relationship does not end there with Platinum Passion being by Zabeel, a son of Brew's sire Sir Tristram.
Moroney trained Brew and has more recently also had success with Victoria Derby winner Monaco Consul, another from the same family.
Feroce predicted a staying future for the rising four year old.
"Mike's always had a big opinion of the filly", he said.
"The first couple of preps she showed us nothing but was just getting better and better all the time."
"She'll make a lovely staying mare. Looks like she's got a bright future."
With Spring just around the corner, it is likely that Moroney will want to give Platinum Passion a short let up.
"We'll just have to sit down and see what we're going to do", Feroce said.
"We might give her another one just to get her rating up and then find a race for her in the Spring."
Photos: Fiona Tomlin
