Mont Fleuri All Class At The Valley

Wednesday, 23 June 2010 02:58

Class prevailed in the $30,000 Essendon Jeep Wrangler Handicap (1533m) with Mont Fleuri coming from last to salute in the shadows of the post today at the Valley.

Mont Fleuri ($2.10,$3) was shuffled back to last in the early stages and with the first two winners having led all the way Apprentice Nathan Rose had his work cut out.

However Rose found the best going along the rail and rode the filly for luck, finding nice runs into the race and hitting the line strongly to score by a long neck over Jetta ($10,$12) with the fast finishing Nenagh ($16,$21) a short neck away.

The unlikely win defied a front running pattern and Rose was not short for words to describe the performance.

"You certainly can't beat class," said Rose.

Rose observed that interference early in the event threw his race strategy out the window but was confident the filly would still run a big race.

"I got a push at the start and our plan got turned on its head," said Rose.

"At the top of the straight I thought I would run a nice placing but in the last 100m she really had a big crack at the second horse and did a terrific job."

A daughter of Cape Cross, Mont Fleuri has now won twice from 10 starts after going down only four lengths in the 1000 Guineas (1600m) back in spring and takes her career earnings over the $100,000 mark.

Photo by Colin Bull.